UKRAINE: VATICAN OPTIMISTIC, DEFENDS CARDINAL'S

UNCLAS VATICAN 000382

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/WE: LEVIN; DRL/IRF: HEWETT; EUR/UMB: CARTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PREL RS SOCI UP VT
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: VATICAN OPTIMISTIC, DEFENDS CARDINAL'S
ACTIVISM

REF: A. KIEV 325

B. 04 VATICAN 1171

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Summary
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1. (SBU) Holy See Country Director for Ukraine Monsignor
Julio Murat defended Ukrainian (Greek Catholic) Cardinal
Lubomyr Husar, insisting that he had "no choice" but to
speak out against abuses during his country's recent
election controversy. According to Murat, Husar's public
statements were not attempts to influence the balloting,
but rather to address irregularities that threatened the
freedom of the Ukrainian people. Murat was optimistic about
Ukraine's future and President Yushchenko, noting that he
had seen "encouraging signs" from the new president. Murat
admitted that one could still "sense" the extent of Ukraine's
East-West divide, but he was hopeful that it would not widen
as a result of recent events. All indications are that the
Vatican will continue to keep the prospect of upgrading the
Ukrainian Catholic jurisdiction into a Patriarchate on the
back burner for the time being to avoid adding strains to
the delicate religious balance. End Summary.

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Husar: No Choice but to Speak Out
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2. (SBU) Holy See Country Director for Ukraine Monsignor
Julio Murat defended the conduct of Ukrainian (Greek
Catholic) Cardinal Lubomyr Husar during his country's recent
election controversy in a January 21 meeting. "He had no
choice but to speak out" against election abuses, Murat
insisted. According to Murat, Husar's public statements
regarding the disputed vote were not attempts to influence
the balloting, but were meant to address irregularities that
threatened the freedom of the Ukrainian people. Murat said
that, as a religious leader, Husar had a duty to try to
protect the human person and the right of the people to
political freedom and freedom of speech. Husar was also
intent on trying to prevent violence, Murat added.

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Encouraging Signs
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3. (SBU) Murat was optimistic about Ukraine's future and
President Yushchenko's government. Murat welcomed what he
termed "encouraging signs" from Yushchenko, such as an
attempt to make balanced public statements and the wise
choice to make his first trip abroad to Russia. He will do
his best to "find the right balance" between East and West,
Murat said. (Note: Our meeting with Murat took place before
news of Yushchenko's naming of Yulia Tymoshenko as Prime
Minister (ref a). End note.) Murat said he thought Husar
and other Catholic leaders should reach out to the new
government discreetly and do what they could to help further
the development of civil society. Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic,
Papal Nuncio to Ukraine, expressed similar optimism in an
interview with Radio Vatican broadcast January 24. Jurkovic
called the "honest election" a "great national victory" for
Ukraine, adding that he hoped the country would be "reborn"
with a "new dignity."

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East-West Divide Not Insurmountable
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4. (SBU) When asked about the East-West divide within
Ukraine, Murat was hopeful that it would not widen as a
result of recent events. "Certainly one senses (the divide)
more at this time," he admitted, and pointed to the various
economic and ethnic factors at play, in addition to the
religious ones. But Murat felt that progress by Yushchenko
on issues of concern to both East and West would go far to
overcome current divisions. He noted helpful statements made
by Ukrainian Orthodox Patriarch Filaret of Kiev during the
imbroglio, and implied that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
could play an important role as the country seeks to heal
lingering wounds from the election.

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Ukrainian Patriarchate Still Seems Unlikely in Near Term
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5. (SBU) Unlike others we have spoken to about the
often-discussed prospect of upgrading the Ukrainian Greek
Catholic jurisdiction to the status of a Patriarchate, Murat
downplayed the role political (rather than spiritual)


sentiments may be playing in the motivation of proponents.
"(Ukrainian Greek Catholics) simply want their church to
experience a complete ecclesiastical identity," he insisted.
The election controversy seems not to have changed the
Vatican's thinking on the issue: it prefers to go slowly and
not upset the delicate balance of ecumenical relations with
the Russian Orthodox (ref b).


6. (SBU) Despite this orientation, the planned transfer of
the seat of the Greek Catholic Church from Lviv to Kiev
presents another potential challenge down the road. Although
Murat minimized the significance of the move, Vatican-based
media have reported on Russian Orthodox sensitivities to
perceived "expansion" by the Catholics. We defer to Embassy
Kiev on the ultimate significance of such a transfer,
however, we suspect that a change in the ecclesiastical
status of Kiev and Lviv would eventually lead to Kiev
becoming a Patriarchal See.

HARDT


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2005VATICA00382 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED