BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT JANUARY 14-25, 2002

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000784

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR: EUR (BRADKE),EUR/WE (MENNUTI, KILNER); EB
(GADSDEN),AF (KANSTEINER)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KWMN VT
SUBJECT: BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT JANUARY 14-25, 2002


CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON,
REASON E.O. 1295 8 1.5 (B,D).


1. (C) THIS CABLE REPORTS ON EMBASSY VATICAN'S BIWEEKLY
ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 14, 2002. IT
IS INTENDED TO SUMMARIZE, BUT NOT EXHAUSTIVELY REPORT, OUR
ACTIVITIES DURING THE PREVIOUS TWO WEEKS. COVERED IN THIS
CABLE ARE:

-- AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COMMERCIAL ADVOCACY WITH ACOUSTIGUIDES
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 00784 151413Z
-- AMBASSADOR TALKS ZIMBABWE BACK-CHANNEL WITH JESUITS FOR AF
A/S
-- EMBASSY MEETINGS ON OUR PROPOSED ANTI-TRAFFICKING
CONFERENCE
-- POLOFFS DISCUSS BIOTECH APPROACH TO VATICAN WITH EMBASSY
COLLEAGUES
-- AMBASSADOR AT HOSTS DINNER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERT PRAKASH
-- REPORTING ON: ASSISI DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE, U.S.-VATICAN
BILATERAL ISSUES, COLOMBIA PEACE, POPE'S BULGARIA TRIP,
EMBASSY VATICAN ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE, CHINESE
CATHOLICS REPRESSED, UN ANTI-CLONING CONVENTION.


2. (U) AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COMMERCIAL ADVOCACY WITH
ACOUSTIGUIDES: AMBASSADOR AND POLOFF MET 01/30 WITH
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE U.S. COMPANY ACOUSTIGUIDES ABOUT
POSSIBLE COMMERCIAL ADVOCACY TO PLACE THEIR GUIDES IN THE
VATICAN MUSEUMS. WE REFERRED THEM TO DEPT OF COMMERCE FOR
FORMAL ADVOCACY REQUEST; POLOFF, WITH FCS ROME AUTHORIZATION,
ACCOMPANIED THEM TO THEIR PRESENTATION TO VATICAN MUSEUM
OFFICIALS.


3. (C) AMBASSADOR TALKS ZIMBABWE BACK-CHANNEL WITH JESUITS
FOR AF A/S: AMBASSADOR 02/01 AT BEHEST OF A/S KANSTEINER
EXPLORED INTEREST IN ESTABLISHING POSSIBLE BACK-CHANNEL
COMMUNICATION WITH ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT MUGABE ON ACCOUNT OF
MUGABE'S JESUIT EDUCATION.


4. (U) EMBASSY MEETINGS ON OUR PROPOSED ANTI-TRAFFICKING
CONFERENCE: VATICAN 700 REPORTS OUR EFFORTS, UP TO FEBRUARY
11, TO ORGANIZE A MAY, 2002 CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS
DIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEM OF TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS.
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 VATICA 00784 151413Z
SINCE FEB. 11 WE HAVE SURVEYED THE SPACE OFFERED BY THE
PONTIFICAL GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY AND MADE PROGRESS SECURING
FUNDING FOR THE CONFERENCE FROM OTHER HOLY SEE ACCREDITED
EMBASSIES. DCM ALSO HOSTED LUNCH WITH KEY EUROPEAN DCMS, WHO
AGREED TO NOMINATE SPEAKER CANDIDATES ASAP.


5. (SBU) POLOFFS DISCUSS BIOTECH APPROACH TO VATICAN WITH
EMBASSY COUNTERPARTS: POLOFFS HOSTED 02/08 LUNCH WITH
COUNTERPARTS FROM ARGENTINA, TAIWAN, AND INDONESIA EMBASSIES
TO THE HOLY SEE TO DISCUSS OPENING DIALOGUE WITH VATICAN ON
BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE. ALL WERE
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE IDEA, BELIEVING THAT THE VATICAN CAN
MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF
BIOTECH.


6. (U) AMBASSADOR AT HOSTS DINNER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERT
PRAKASH: AMBASSADOR HOSTED DINNER EVENING OF 2/14 FOR
VISITING BIOTECH EXPERT DR. C.S. PRAKASH. DINNER EXPOSED
SENIOR VATICAN DECISION-MAKERS INCLUDING FM TAURAN AND
CARDINAL SCHOTTE (OF GENERAL SYNOD OF BISHOPS) TO THE "GOOD
NEWS" ON BIOTECH.


7. (C) EMBASSY REPORTING: DURING THE PERIOD EMBASSY REPORTED
ON: THE POPE'S EXCEPTIONAL INTER-RELIGIOUS DAY OF PRAYER FOR
PEACE AT ASSISI (VATICAN 521),U.S.-VATICAN BILATERAL ISSUES
(VATICAN 495),COLOMBIA PEACE (VATICAN 578),POPE'S BULGARIA
TRIP AND OUTREACH TO THE ORTHODOX (VATICAN 561),EMBASSY
VATICAN ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE UPDATE (VATICAN 700),
CHINESE CATHOLICS REPRESSED (VATICAN 579),UN ANTI-CLONING
CONVENTION (VATICAN 699).
NICHOLSON
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 VATICA 00784 151413Z

CONFIDENTIAL

>


2002VATICA00784 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL