HOLY SEE TALKS TOUGH TO ISLAM

UNCLAS VATICAN 000140 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN); DRL (BARNES, ABRAMSON) E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM VT SUBJECT: HOLY SEE TALKS TOUGH TO ISLAM 1.(U) A SENIOR VATICAN OFFICIAL, CARDINAL JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN, LAMENTED IN AN END OF YEAR INTERVIEW WITH THE FRENCH CATHOLIC DAILY LA CROIX THAT NON-MUSLIMS WERE TREATED LIKE SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS IN MANY STATES WITH A MUSLIM MAJORITY. TAURAN, THE HOLY SEE'S FOREIGN MINISTER FOR 13 YEARS BEFORE HIS 2003 PROMOTION TO CARDINAL, FOCUSED HIS FIRE ON SAUDI ARABIA'S VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ARISING FROM ITS BAN ON PLACES OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP AND ON SERVICES IN PRIVATE HOMES. TAURAN CALLED FOR RECIPROCITY OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, RECALLING THAT MUSLIMS ARE ABLE TO BUILD MOSQUES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. CARDINAL TAURAN DESCRIBED THE DIALOGUE WITH ISLAM AS A HUGE CHALLENGE FOR WESTERN SOCIETY AND CHURCHES. 2.(U) TAURAN'S COMMENTS COME HARD ON THE HEELS OF A TOUGH CRITIQUE OF ISLAM IN THE INFLUENTIAL JESUIT BI- MONTHLY LA CIVILTA CATTOLICA, WHOSE ARTICLES ARE VETTED BY THE SECRETARIAT OF STATE AND CONSIDERED IN LINE WITH VATICAN POLICY. THE OCTOBER 18 ISSUE DETAILED THE SITUATION OF CHRISTIANS IN MUSLIM STATES AND DESCRIBED ISLAM AS HAVING A "WARLIKE FACE" THROUGHOUT HISTORY. IT CHARGED THAT MUSLIM COUNTRIES SUCH AS SAUDI ARABIA, SUDAN AND PAKISTAN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST CHRISTIANS. THE ARTICLE WARNED AGAINST THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAM AND PLACED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN THE DOMAIN OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. IT ALSO EXPRESSED CONSTERNATION AT THE INCREASING DESIRE IN SOME COUNTRIES FOR THE APPLICATION OF SHARIA LAW TO NON- MUSLIMS. 3.(SBU) COMMENT: THE HOLY SEE IS COMMITTED TO RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE WITH ISLAM -- WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II AT THE FOREFRONT OF ITS INITIATIVES. AS A REFLECTION OF THIS COMMITMENT, THE VATICAN WILL HOST A CONCERT ON JANUARY 17 7 FEATURING THE THREE FAITHS OF ABRAHAM. (THIS "RECONCILIATION" CONCERT WAS CONCEIVED BY THE EMBASSY AND THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY WILL PLAY MAHLER'S 2ND SYMPHONY, "THE RESURRECTION SYMPHONY", WITH A MUSLIM CHOIR AND JEWISH CONDUCTOR). HOWEVER, THE VATICAN'S OUTREACH TO THE MUSLIM WORLD IS NOT AN UNCRITICAL EMBRACE OF ISLAM. AS IT CONTINUES TO SEE LIMITED PROGRESS IN SOME OF ITS EFFORTS TO BUILD A DIALOGUE, THE HOLY SEE IS REVEALING A MOUNTING FRUSTRATION AT ELEMENTS OF ISLAM THAT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN MUSLIM-MAJORITY STATES, FOMENT HATRED OF JEWS, OR THAT REJECT INTEGRATION OF MUSLIM MIGRANTS INTO WESTERN SOCIETY. EVEN THE HOLY SEE'S 2003 GREETING TO MUSLIMS TO CELEBRATE THE END OF RAMADAN -- USUALLY A PERFUNCTORY SALUTATION -- URGED MUTUAL RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS, AS WELL AS EMPATHY BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS. WE EXPECT TO SEE A CONTINUATION OF THIS KIND OF SUBTLE PRESSURE ON ISLAMIC STATES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DEMONSTRATE GREATER RECIPROCITY AND OPENNESS TOWARDS OTHER RELIGIONS. END COMMENT. NICHOLSON NNNN 2004VATICA00140 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED