IRAQI FM PROMISES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR CHRISTIANS

UNCLAS VATICAN 004735 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EUR/WE (Levin); NEA/NGA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM IZ VT SUBJECT: IRAQI FM PROMISES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR CHRISTIANS 1.(U) Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari expressed his thanks to Pope John Paul II for the Holy See's support for Iraq and pledged religious freedom from the country's new government during a December 13 meeting at the Vatican. Zebari later met with Vatican Secretary of State (PM eqQivalent) Angelo Sodano and Foreign Ministry officials. According to the Vatican, the discussions focused on the current situation in Iraq and the broader Middle East. ¶2. (U) Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-VQlls said Zebari assured the Pope of his govermentmote religious Qly, to defend Ch2 The Vatican has previouncern over recent attaolic and other ChristiQn Iraq, most reQosut`hre was no quest government hhng the security situand the safety of Christ The problem is that they @o guarantee anyone's saa was positive about Zs credentials and noted that he and former Vatican Foreign Minister Tauran had met him some time ago. "His success or failure, however, does not depend solely on him," Coppola concluded. 4.(U) Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Zebari said Pope John Paul II's moral authority could contribute enormously to creating peace in Iraq, and that Christian and Muslims had lived together harmoniously for centuries. 5.(SBU) Comment: Zebari is the second high-level member of the interim Iraqi government to visit the Pope - following on the heels of PM Allawi's November visit. The Holy See will continue to lobby hard for guarantees for religious freedom in the new Iraq while promising the active cooperation of the Vatican and local Catholic communities in reconstruction and stabilization efforts. End comment. Nicholson n