Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VATICAN538
2005-11-25 09:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

VATICAN UNHAPPY WITH LAWSUITS

Tags:  VT PGOV PBTS PREL 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000538 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; L/DL: GRESSER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2015
TAGS: VT PGOV PBTS PREL
SUBJECT: VATICAN UNHAPPY WITH LAWSUITS

CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000538

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; L/DL: GRESSER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2015
TAGS: VT PGOV PBTS PREL
SUBJECT: VATICAN UNHAPPY WITH LAWSUITS

CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) Holy See Secretary of State (Prime Minister equivalent)
Cardinal Angelo Sodano took the bulk of his initial meeting
November 12 with the Ambassador to register his displeasure with
the several lawsuits filed in U.S. courts that have been served
at the Vatican. Sodano complained about the "aggressive
attorneys" who had started in on the Vatican with the sexual
abuse scandal and had also filed suits about Nazi-era gold
allegedly acquired by the Holy See. Sodano was confident that,
due to the truth of the matters and the principle of sovereign
immunity, the Holy See would emerge unscathed from these suits.
But the way it was all happening was unsettling to him. "It's
one thing for them to sue bishops," Sodano said, "but another
thing entirely to sue the Holy See." He asked the Department to
urge a respect for the sovereign immunity of the Holy See (as
any foreign government) so as to avoid these incidents. The
Ambassador assured Sodano that the U.S. respected the Holy See
as a sovereign power, and that he would pass along his concerns.


2. (C) Comment. We are aware that the Department has certain
legal obligations in these cases. We will continue to
communicate closely with L on the issue and seek to minimize the
friction with the Holy See while still fulfilling these
obligations. End Comment.

Rooney
ROONEY


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