OSCE BOSNIA HEAD PRESSES HOLY SEE AND FRANCISCANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001231

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/WE: LEVIN; EUR/SCE: GREGORIAN AND FOOKS;
IO/PHO: CARLSON; EUR/RPM; DRL/IRF: MAYLAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2014
TAGS: KIRF PREL SOCI VT BK BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE BOSNIA HEAD PRESSES HOLY SEE AND FRANCISCANS
ON MOSTAR TENSIONS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission D. Brent Hardt for reasons 1.5 (
b) and (d)


1. (U) This telegram contains a guidance request. Please
see paragraph 9.

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Summary
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2. (C) OSCE Bosnia Head of Mission Robert Beecroft
emphasized the importance of inter-ethnic reconciliation in
Mostar for Bosnia's future stability during March 23-24
meetings with the Holy See's Foreign Minister and the
Franciscan order's Minister General. Beecroft made it clear
that Mostar-Duvno Bishop Peric and nationalist Mostar
Franciscans had become a hindrance to progress in the city,
and asked both officials for help in tempering the divisive
influence of these Mostar Croats. Beecroft said a high-level
visit from the Holy See and from the Franciscan Minister
General to Mostar could enhance the credibility of the
international community with the Mostar Croats, while
simultaneously helping promote reconciliation and political
progress. End Summary.

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Obstruction in Mostar
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3. (C) In a meeting coordinated by the Embassy, OSCE Bosnia
Head of Mission Robert Beecroft told Holy See FM Giovanni
Lajolo that ethnic and religious reconciliation in Mostar was
critical to the future of the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(BiH). Unfortunately, Mostar-Duvno's Croatian nationalist
Catholic Bishop Ratko Peric was proving to be a key
impediment to reconciliation, Beecroft noted to Lajolo. In a
follow-on meeting with Holy See BiH Country Director Joseph
Marino, Beecroft was more blunt, making it clear that he
regarded Peric as an obstructionist. Beecroft noted that
Mostar's Croat politicians had gone so far as to tell him
that they were getting their marching orders on education
reform from Peric.

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Message of Reconciliation Needed
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4. (C) Lajolo asked how the Holy See could help the OSCE's
work in BiH, and Beecroft told him that the Church needed to
spread a message of reconciliation through the Papal Nuncio
and its bishops. Beecroft pointed out that he and the
international community already enjoyed excellent cooperation
with the Nuncio in Sarajevo and with BiH's Cardinal Vinko
Puljic. However, Beecroft observed that BiH Croats needed to
hear a consistent message from all Church authorities that
their culture was not in danger and that the international
community did not pose a threat to them. The Pope, who
visited BiH in June 2003, has actively promoted
reconciliation, telling Bosnians they had to "start afresh"
and take to heart the "sentiments of forgiveness, of
reconciliation, (and) of brotherhood." He visited Croatia
the same month and made reference to "healing the wounds" of
the "cruel war."

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Vatican Eyes Croat Interests
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5. (C) Lajolo took Beecroft's request on board, but asked if
the Croats weren't being asked to sacrifice too much in terms
of political representation in Mostar. He and Marino also
asked why Mostar was the only city with the particular
formula it has for representation, with Marino noting that
deviating from the principle of "one man one vote" was
problematic. Beecroft explained that the High
Representative's decision to prevent the formation of a
majority block in the Mostar city council may seem unfair to
Croats, but had become the only way forward after repeated
failures to deal with what was a unique and critical
situation. It was necessary for BiH to make broader
political progress. Both Vatican officials expressed some
appreciation for the peculiarity of the Mostar situation.
Though neither directly criticized Peric, they noted that
Beecroft's concerns were not surprising, and they clearly
received Beecroft's message about the bishop's obstructionism.

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Mostar Franciscans Unhelpful
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6. (C) Beecroft brought a similar message to a March 24
meeting with Franciscan Minister General Jose Rodriguez
Carballo, telling Rodriguez that despite good relations with
the Franciscans in Sarajevo, many of their brethren in Mostar
had "accepted the premise that education reform was a threat
to Croat identity." Beecroft made it clear to the Minister
General that the Mostar Franciscans' resistance to the
international community and their "willful misunderstanding"
of some of its initiatives was a roadblock to progress in the
city.


7. (C) Rodriguez, who took over only recently as Minister
General, seemed genuine in his desire to promote
reconciliation in BiH. He noted the complicating factor that
the Mostar Franciscans and those in Sarajevo comprised
separate provinces of the order, and therefore fell under
different provincial leadership. Rodriguez's deputy
explained further that episcopal authority trumped that of
the order -- the clear implication being that Peric was the
stumbling block with the Franciscans as well. (Comment:
Religious orders have in the past found ways to create some
distance from their bishops when absolutely necessary, and
the Franciscans could press for greater freedom from Peric.
End Comment.) In any case, Rodriguez said he was planning a
trip to the region in June and would consider what steps
would be appropriate to address the situation.

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Comment and Guidance Request:
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8. (C) If past experience is a guide, the Holy See will be
reluctant to intervene directly with Peric. Marino has told
us in the past that unless there is something theologically
errant going on in a bishop's diocese, the Vatican is loath
to micromanage it. Still, the Holy See has heard the same
message on Peric for some time now, and with FM Lajolo at the
helm, it is possible that the Holy See could consider finding
some way to shift Peric to another diocese or a position
within the Vatican.


9. (C) Technically, Mostar is "mission territory" and thus
not under the normal hierarchical structures of the Catholic
Church. As a result, Peric reports formally to the head of
the Vatican Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith,
whose head, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe will meet with the
Ambassador on another matter in the coming days. Embassy
will pass along word of Beecroft's perspective on Mostar to
Sepe, and stands ready to convey any additional points on
this matter that the Department considers appropriate. While
we cannot predict what influence Sepe might be willing to
wield in the matter, we believe it would be helpful to raise
any U.S. concerns on Mostar with him to cover all relevant
Vatican bases.

NICHOLSON


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2004VATICA01231 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL