VATICAN MAINTAINS MULTILATERAL FOCUS ON

1. (SBU) CHARGE AND POLOFF REVIEWED THE USG APPROACH TO
DISARMAMENT FOR THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (UNGA) (REF A) WITH
HOLY SEE OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR DISARMAMENT PAOLO CONVERSI
AUGUST 28, FOLLOWING UP OUR DISCUSSION WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN
MINISTER PAROLIN (REF B). CONVERSI ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE
ROTE ADOPTION OF OUTMODED RESOLUTIONS YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND
THE CONTINUATION OF RESOLUTIONS WITH ORIGINS IN THE COLD
WAR HAD HINDERED THE FIRST COMMITTEE'S EFFECTIVENESS.
NEVERTHELESS, CONVERSI DID NOT FULLY ACCEPT THAT A MAJOR
CHANGE OF APPROACH ON DISARMAMENT WAS NEEDED THIS FALL.



2. (SBU) CONVERSI EMPHASIZED THE HOLY SEE'S COMMITMENT TO A
MULTILATERAL APPROACH ON DISARMAMENT, AND ITS BELIEF THAT
THE VARIOUS MULTILATERAL ARMS CONTROL FORA STILL HAD AN
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY, DESPITE THEIR WEAKNESSES. CHARGE
NOTED THE USG'S OWN COMMITMENT TO MULTILATERALISM IN
DISARMAMENT ISSUES, BUT NOTED THAT THIS HAD TO BE MATCHED
BY A MULTILATERAL FOCUS THAT WAS BETTER GEARED TO TODAY'S
THREATS. HE THEREFORE ENCOURAGED THE HOLY SEE TO BE OPEN
TO EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A NEW, MORE EFFECTIVE MULTILATERALISM
WITHIN THE FIRST COMMITTEE THIS FALL.

HARDT

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2003VATICA03958 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED