CUBA: HOLY SEE TAKES TRADITIONAL VIEW ON UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005111

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2013
TAGS: CUBA'>CU ETRD PHUM PREL VT UNGA
SUBJECT: CUBA: HOLY SEE TAKES TRADITIONAL VIEW ON UNGA
RESOLUTION

REF: A. STATE 301451


B. VATICAN 1406

C. VATICAN 1775

D. VATICAN 2071

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Brent Hardt for reason 1.5 (b) and (d)
.

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Reviewing the recent UNGA vote on the U.S. embargo on
CUBA, the Holy See reaffirmed its opposition to the embargo,
while affirming its distaste for the regime's human rights
abuses. MFA Caribbean Affairs Office Director Giorgio Lingua
repeated the Vatican's view that the embargo is ineffective,
and said he hoped the U.S. would change its approach on the
issue. While the Holy See is disappointed with the lack of
progress on human rights and religious freedom issues almost
six years after the 1998 papal visit to the island, Lingua
took a long-term view in assessing the regime, noting some
positive signs and adding that "Castro is not immortal." End
summary.

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UNGA Vote: Holy See Sees Little Effect
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2. (C) Poloff met November 7 with MFA Caribbean Affairs
Office Director Giorgio Lingua to discuss the recent vote on
U.S. embargo on CUBA at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) (ref
A). Lingua acknowledged the EU's condemnation of CUBA's
human rights situation in its explanation of vote (EOV) and
noted the Holy See's distaste for such abuses. Lingua was
nevertheless doubtful that the EU's statement would affect
the overall situation. Lingua agreed with poloff that the UN
Resolution was simply a way for Castro to deflect attention
from the regime's abuses and other ills, but insisted that
the U.S. was playing into Castro's hands by giving him this
diversion.

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Policy Change on the Horizon?
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3. (C) Lingua noted the U.S. Congressional vote last month to
ease travel restrictions to CUBA. CUBA's isolation, he
contended, only fortified the regime and discouraged
compromise. He wondered if the move might prompt the
administration to consider a change of policy on the embargo.
"Bush is a strong leader who could take this step without
losing status," Lingua said. After so many years of similar
strategies without significant results, Lingua wondered aloud
why the administration wouldn't try a new approach.

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Upcoming Anniversary
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4. (C) Lingua also reflected on the upcoming sixth
anniversary of Pope John Paul II's visit to CUBA in January,

1998. "We had hoped for more by this time," he said, when
assessing the current state of affairs for freedom of worship
on the island. While the CUBAn population is perhaps


subjected to fewer limitations on worship than it was six
years ago, Lingua argued, this is still not freedom. The
Holy See was particularly troubled by the government's
restrictions on Catholic publications. Lingua said that
Castro was using the CUBAn bishops' refusal to comply with
the regime's registration requirement for publications as an
excuse for his continued persecution of the Church -- a
disingenuous tactic related to the leader's use of the
embargo issue.

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Comment: Light at the End of the Tunnel?
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5. (C) Lingua's comments reflected the Vatican's usual
cautious approach to CUBA, as well as its traditional
opposition to embargoes in general -- particulary this one.
Overall, however, Lingua was more optimistic on CUBA than he
has been in recent meetings (ref B,C,D),and took a long-term
view. "Castro is not immortal," he said, noting that there
are opposition figures in CUBA who are simply waiting for the
right opportunity to become vocal. He further noted that he
saw evidence of an increased willingness on the part of CUBAn
bishops to criticize Castro,s regime in recent years.


6. (C) Lingua did not foresee any upcoming Holy See
statements on CUBA, though he noted that when a new papal
nuncio is appointed, the occasion might present the
opportunity for the Vatican to make mention of Castro's human
rights failings. Post will track the appointment and
encourage the Holy See to do just that when the time comes.
(Note: There is no word on when the new nuncio to CUBA will
be named, but with a new Vatican foreign minister settling in
later this month, it will likely be a few months until an
appointment is made. End note).

HARDT


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2003VATICA05111 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL