HOLY SEE ON U.S. THEMES FOR 58TH UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003790 SIPDIS FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN),IO/UNP E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2013 TAGS: AORC PHUM PREL VT UNGA SUBJECT: HOLY SEE ON U.S. THEMES FOR 58TH UNGA REF: A. A) STATE 175664 ¶B. B) STATE 206381 CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, D. BRENT HARDT, REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) DCM MET WITH HOLY SEE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER PIETRO PAROLIN AUGUST 20 TO REVIEW U.S. THEMES FOR THE 58TH UNGA (REFTELS). IN A BRIEF EXCHANGE ON THE SITUATION IN IRAQ, PAROLIN EXPRESSED SADNESS AT THE RECENT ATTACK, AND WAS RECEPTIVE TO USG DETERMINATION TO STAY THE COURSE. HE NOTED OUR POINT THAT IRAQ ISSUES SHOULD REMAIN IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL. ON SUPPORT FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE, PAROLIN INDICATED THAT THE HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO STRONGLY SUPPORT U.S. EFFORTS THROUGH THE ROADMAP. REGARDING OUR CONCERNS REGARDING THE INSERTION OF REFERENCES TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) IN UNRELATED UN RESOLUTIONS, AND OUR MESSAGE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR UNGA TO ENERGIZE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ON COUNTERTERRORISM ISSUES, PAROLIN LISTENED ATTENTIVELY AND TOOK OUR POINTS ON BOARD. HE WAS RECEPTIVE TO THE USG'S DESIRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS ON THE COUNTRIES MENTIONED IN REF B, AND MENTIONED THE VATICAN'S PARTICULAR CONCERN ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE. ¶2. (C) ON ALL ISSUES, PAROLIN NOTED THAT THE HOLY SEE'S PERMANENT OBSERVER MISSION IN NEW YORK WOULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN GUIDING THE HOLY SEE'S APPROACH, AND AGREED TO PASS ALONG TO THE MISSION THE U.S. PRIORITIES. HARDT NNNN 2003VATICA03790 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL