HOLY SEE CALLS IN AMBASSADOR TO CONVEY CONCERNS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 005938

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S-CKELLY, NEA, AND EUR/WE-MENNUTI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2012
TAGS: IS IZ PREL IZ PREL VT VTIS
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE CALLS IN AMBASSADOR TO CONVEY CONCERNS ON
MIDDLE EAST AND BETHLEHEM

CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON. REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).

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SUMMARY
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PAGE 02 VATICA 05938 01 OF 02 111711Z

1. (C) HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINISTER ARCHBISHOP JEAN-LOUIS
TAURAN CALLED IN AMBASSADOR NOVEMBER 27 TO CONVEY THE POPE'S
CONCERNS ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, PARTICULARLY
THE ISRAELI REOCCUPATION OF BETHLEHEM. WITH THE CHRISTMAS
SEASON APPROACHING, TAURAN SAID THE CURRENT CURFEW IN
BETHLEHEM -- PROJECTED TO LAST THROUGH DECEMBER 30 BY SOME
ISRAELI AUTHORITIES -- WOULD HAVE VERY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
HE INDICATED THAT IF THE CURFEW WAS NOT LIFTED AND ACCESS TO
THE HOLY SITES GUARANTEED, THE POPE WOULD BE COMPELLED TO
MAKE A STATEMENT SHARPLY CRITICAL OF ISRAEL FOR RESTRICTING
THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION. TAURAN WELCOMED THE PROPOSAL FOR A
QUARTET MEETING IN WASHINGTON DECEMBER 20, ADDING THAT IT WAS
TIME TO MOVE FROM ANALYSIS TO CONCRETE STEPS ON THE GROUND.
HE ALSO APPLAUDED PRESIDENT BUSH'S DECISION NOT TO MOVE THE
U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM, WHICH HE SAID WOULD HAVE BEEN A
CAUSE OF "GREAT DISTURBANCE." ON IRAQ, TAURAN TOLD THE
AMBASSADOR THE HOLY SEE HAD SENT A MESSAGE TO THE IRAQI
GOVERNMENT REITERATING THEIR BELIEF THAT SADDAM MUST MEET HIS
UN COMMITMENTS. END SUMMARY.

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POPE WANTS END TO CURFEW, ENSURE CHRISTMAS ACCESS TO HOLY
SITES
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2. (C) ARCHBISHOP TAURAN TOLD THE AMBASSADOR NOVEMBER 27 THAT
THE POPE WAS PERSONALLY DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MOST
RECENT ISRAELI INCURSION INTO BETHLEHEM AND THE IMPLICATIONS
OF THE ONGOING CURFEW THERE FOR THE UPCOMING CHRISTMAS
SEASON. WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT ISRAEL HAD PULLED BACK ITS
TANKS FROM AROUND THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY, TAURAN SAID
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PAGE 03 VATICA 05938 01 OF 02 111711Z
BETHLEHEM REMAINED UNDER A STRICT CURFEW THAT HAD SERIOUS
IMPLICATIONS FOR TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVENTS AT THE HOLY
SITES. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT SOME ISRAELI AUTHORITIES HAD
SUGGESTED THE CURFEW COULD LAST UNTIL DECEMBER 30.
RHETORICALLY ASKING, "WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS," TAURAN SAID THAT
IF THE CURFEW WERE TO CONTINUE THROUGH THAT TIME, THE POPE
WOULD FEEL COMPELLED TO ISSUE A STATEMENT CRITICAL OF THE
ISRAELIS FOR "RESTRICTING FREEDOM OF RELIGION." THE HOLY SEE
RECOGNIZED THAT SUCH A STATEMENT WOULD BE LIKELY TO PROVOKE A
POINTED ISRAELI REACTION, AND WOULD STRONGLY PREFER THAT
STEPS BE TAKEN TO AVOID THIS SCENARIO. TAURAN SAID HE HOPED
THE U.S. COULD WORK WITH ISRAEL TO AVOID ANY PROBLEMS DURING
THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.


3. (C) THE AMBASSADOR AGREED TO CONVEY TAURAN'S CONCERNS TO
WASHINGTON. HE NOTED THAT ISRAEL WAS CERTAINLY SEEKING TO
AVOID A REOCCURRENCE OF THE OCCUPATION OF THE CHURCH OF THE
NATIVITY, AND ASKED TAURAN WHETHER THEY PERCEIVED A RISK THAT
THE PALESTINIANS MIGHT SEEK TO CREATE TROUBLE IN THE HOLY
SITES. TAURAN SAID HE DOUBTED THE PALESTINIANS WOULD OCCUPY
THE CHURCH AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL BACKLASH
WOULD BE TOO GREAT.

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QUARTET: TIME FOR CONCRETE STEPS
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4. (C) THE AMBASSADOR TOLD TAURAN THAT THE QUARTET WOULD BE
MEETING IN WASHINGTON DECEMBER 20 TO CONTINUE WORKING ON A
ROADMAP TOWARD ACHIEVING THE PRESIDENT'S VISION OF A
TWO-STATE SOLUTION. HE NOTED THAT CONTINUED VIOLENCE
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THREATENED TO DERAIL THESE EFFORTS, AND THAT PALESTINIAN AND
ISRAELI RESTRAINT WAS NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE SECURITY
SITUATION, ACHIEVE REFORMS, AND ALLEVIATE THE HUMANITARIAN
SITUATION. TAURAN WELCOMED THE CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT OF THE
QUARTET, BUT SAID "THE TIME HAD ARRIVED TO MOVE FROM ANALYSIS
TO CONCRETE STEPS." HE ALSO REPEATED HIS LONG-STANDING VIEW
THAT AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING OR MONITORING PRESENCE ON
THE GROUND IS NEEDED TO END THE SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE. ONLY
SUCH A PRESENCE, HE EXPLAINED, WOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHO
WAS VIOLATING AGREEMENTS. PRESSED ON THE COMPOSITION OF SUCH
A FORCE, TAURAN SAID THAT WAS NOT A MATTER ON WHICH THE HOLY
SEE COULD COMMENT. TAURAN ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER A
RECENT STATEMENT OF PM SHARON DENYING THE POTENTIAL FOR TWO
STATES.

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JERUSALEM: PRAISE FOR PRESIDENT'S POSITION
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5. (C) TAURAN APPLAUDED THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION NOT TO SHIFT
THE U.S. POSITION REGARDING JERUSALEM AS CALLED FOR IN THE
RECENT CONGRESSIONAL ACTION. HE NOTED THAT WHEN THE HOLY SEE
HAD HEARD THE INITIAL REPORTS OF THAT ACTION, THE POPE HAD

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CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6627

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ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NEA-00
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /007W
-------------- 16203B 111712Z /75
O 111521Z DEC 02
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 005938

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S-CKELLY, NEA, AND EUR/WE-MENNUTI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2012
TAGS: IS IZ PREL IZ PREL VT VTIS
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE CALLS IN AMBASSADOR TO CONVEY CONCERNS ON
MIDDLE EAST AND BETHLEHEM

BEEN "UPSET AND PERPLEXED." TAURAN NOTED THAT THIS "WOULD
HAVE BEEN A REASON FOR GREAT DISTURBANCE IN THE REGION." THE
AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION WAS MADE
IN THE FACE OF CONSIDERABLE CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURE.

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PAGE 02 VATICA 05938 02 OF 02 111712Z
IRAQ: HOLY SEE TELLS SADDAM TO FLY RIGHT
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6. (C) TURNING TO IRAQ, TAURAN SAID THE HOLY SEE WAS VERY
PLEASED THAT WAR APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN AVOIDED FOR THE TIME
BEING. RECOGNIZING THAT THE NEXT STEP WAS UP TO IRAQ, THE
HOLY SEE HAD RECENTLY SENT A MESSAGE TO IRAQ MAKING CLEAR
THEIR BELIEF THAT SADDAM NEEDED TO ABIDE BY THE UN
RESOLUTIONS AND ALLOW THE INSPECTORS FULL ACCESS TO POTENTIAL
WMD SITES. THE AMBASSADOR ASSURED TAURAN THAT THE U.S. DID
NOT WANT WAR, BUT THAT IT WAS UP TO IRAQ TO ASSURE THE WORLD
THAT IT HAD DISARMED AS REQUIRED. TAURAN ACKNOWLEDGED THIS,
BUT STRESSED THAT WAR WOULD HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR
THE REGION, AND WOULD LIKELY INCREASE THE "APPETITE FOR
TERROR" AMONG RADICALS IN THE REGION.

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COMMENT
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7. (C) FOLLOWING THE DISASTROUS OCCUPATION OF THE CHURCH OF
THE NATIVITY LAST SPRING, THE HOLY SEE IS DETERMINED TO
ENSURE THAT THE CHURCH DOES NOT AGAIN BECOME CAUGHT IN THE
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CROSS-FIRE. EVER CONSCIOUS OF THE
SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SITES, THE POPE WOULD SEE
ISRAELI RESTRICTIONS THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON AS A SYMBOL OF
CONTINUED HIGH-HANDEDNESS AND CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE SHARPLY
CRITICAL IF THE CURFEW WOULD MAR THE HOLY SEASON. ANY
ASSURANCE WE COULD PROVIDE THE HOLY SEE THAT WE ARE
ENCOURAGING ISRAEL TO ENSURE A PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS IN
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BETHLEHEM WOULD BE WELCOMED AS A SIGN OF GOOD FAITH, AND A
MUCH-NEEDED GLIMMER OF HOPE AT A TROUBLED TIME.

NICHOLSON

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002VATICA05938 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL