Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VATICAN516
2005-08-26 14:10:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

DEL PONTE MAKES ""UGLY IMPRESSION"" AT THE VATICAN

Tags:  KIRF PREL SOCI NL BK HR VT OSCE 
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S E C R E T VATICAN 000516 

SIPDIS


NOFORN

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (TCUNNINGHAM),EUR/SCE (BBELL, MFOOKS)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/26/2015
TAGS: KIRF PREL SOCI NL BK HR VT OSCE

SUBJECT: DEL PONTE MAKES ""UGLY IMPRESSION"" AT THE VATICAN

REF: HAGUE 2263, 04 VAT 1231

CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Political Officer, POL, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




-------
Summary
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S E C R E T VATICAN 000516

SIPDIS


NOFORN

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (TCUNNINGHAM),EUR/SCE (BBELL, MFOOKS)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/26/2015
TAGS: KIRF PREL SOCI NL BK HR VT OSCE

SUBJECT: DEL PONTE MAKES ""UGLY IMPRESSION"" AT THE VATICAN

REF: HAGUE 2263, 04 VAT 1231

CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Political Officer, POL, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




--------------
Summary
--------------






1. (S/NF) Holy See Balkans Director Maury described to us
August 22 the ""undiplomatic behavior"" of ICTY Chief Prosecutor
del Ponte on her recent visit to the Vatican foreign ministry
(HAGUE 2263). Maury said the Vatican would not respond to the
strong letter sent by del Ponte to the pope after the visit,
criticizing the Holy See's dealings in the case of accused war
criminal Ante Gotovina. Maury insisted that the Vatican had
investigated the Gotovina case and did not believe the
Franciscans in Herzegovina or Croatia were harboring him. He
said the Holy See would not call for Gotovina to be handed over
to the Hague, as making that type of public statement would be a
matter for the local Church to consider. The Gotovina case
aside, Maury said that ""all levels"" of the Vatican were now
active in trying to resolve the situation with the Franciscans
of Herzegovina, for some time now a thorn in the Vatican's side.
The situation is complicated; the Holy See resents the
Franciscans holding out against Church authority, but has a keen
appreciation for what it sees as their heroic stand in
maintaining the Catholic faith for generations against hostile
forces. End Summary.



--------------
Visit to the Vatican
--------------




2. (S/NF) Holy See Balkans Director Monsignor Miguel Maury
described to us August 22 the ""very ugly impression"" ICTY Chief
Prosecutor Carla del Ponte made on her recent visit to the
Vatican foreign ministry (HAGUE 2263). Though he did not attend
the meeting himself as he was on leave, he recounted del Ponte's
session with Vatican FM Lajolo and described del Ponte's
behavior as very undiplomatic. According to Maury, she came on
very strong, certain that accused war criminal Ante Gotovina was

being hidden among the Franciscans. She was also abrasive, he
said, when pressing for a meeting with Pope Benedict, claiming
that Gotovina himself had been granted an audience with Pope
John Paul II. (Maury was unaware of any such audience but
surmised that if it was true, it was likely that Gotovina had
been one of many people typically directed to approach the pope
for a handshake or kiss of the ring at the end of a general
audience.)






3. (S/NF) It was unclear whether Maury had seen del Ponte's
subsequent letter to the pope (HAGUE 2263),but he said her
general attitude and behavior had left Holy See officials
shaking their heads. ""She showed who she is,"" he concluded.
When asked if the pope would respond to the letter, Maury said
there was nothing to respond to. ""The pope wouldn't respond in
a case like this,"" he said.





--------------
Gotovina Investigation
--------------




4. (S/NF) Maury told us the Vatican took very seriously
accusations that Gotovina was being hidden in Franciscan
monasteries in Herzegovina or Croatia. Maury insisted that the
papal nuncio (ambassador) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) had
investigated the situation and concluded that Gotovina was not
being hidden by the Franciscans. ""Was he there at one time?""
Maury asked, ""I don't know."" ""In any case,"" he continued, ""he's
not there now."" The Gotovina situation aside, Maury told us in
a previous meeting that ""all levels"" of the Vatican were now
involved with the question of the Franciscans of Herzegovina.
In practice this means a rather complicated assortment of
Vatican departments that plays a role in BiH. The Secretariat
of State (foreign ministry) is only one, although the most
important, player on that front.






5. (C) The Herzegovina Franciscans have been a thorn in the
Vatican's side for some time, Maury said, refusing to yield to
Church authority on certain issues. Maury said the Vatican was
frustrated that they remained in violation of longstanding
orders to quit certain of their churches. The Holy See,
however, certainly did not want to get the government or law
enforcement involved in the dispute. They hoped the Church could
handle this internally.





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Public Comments
--------------




6. (C) Maury had no knowledge of any public comment about
anti-Catholicism contributing to hesitation on Croatia and the

EU (HAGUE 2263). When asked if the Holy See would consider
making a public appeal for Gotovina to be turned over to the
Hague, Maury said it would not. ""It is for the local Church to
consider whether to make such a statement,"" he said. ""The
Vatican would not make a specific appeal in a case like this.""





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Comment
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7. (C) Post had raised the issue of obstructionist Catholic
influence in Mostar to several officials here last year
including FM Lajolo. Former OSCE Bosnia Chief Beecroft also
made his case to the Franciscans and the Vatican foreign
ministry (04 VAT 1231). The bottom line at that time: all
listeners were sympathetic to us and Beecroft, but the extent to
which they were willing or able to engage Bishop Peric of Mostar
or the Franciscans was limited. Now Maury is outlining a more
active approach by the Vatican, likely a combination of fatigue
and incredulity at Franciscan intransigence. Maury told us that
the Holy See had learned that one of the Franciscans had (in
violation of canon law) presided at a confirmation ceremony
recently - and read a forged note of blessing from Pope Benedict
XVI.






8. (C) The dynamic here is complicated. The Vatican resents the
Franciscans holding out against Church authority, but has a keen
appreciation for what it sees as their heroic stand in
maintaining the Catholic faith for generations against hostile
forces. This sentiment is also reflected in Maury's comments on
Bishop Peric. In previous conversations mentioned above with
Lajolo, with Maury's predecessor, and others, interlocutors were
hesitant to criticize the Mostar bishop, even as they agreed on
the need for more forward-looking approaches to reconciliation
efforts among Catholics in Mostar. Maury, however, went even
further in our conversation, comparing Peric to legendary
Catholic figures like Poland's Cardinal Wyszynski and (more
controversial -- though beatified) Croatian Cardinal Stepinac,
holding their people together in difficult circumstances. We
can work with the Vatican on these sensitive issues, but need to
tread carefully.

SANDROLINI


NNNN

2005VATICA00516 - Classification: SECRET

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