POPE CONVENES MUSLIM AMBASSADORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000207 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/25/2016 TAGS: PTER SOCI PHUM KIRF VT SUBJECT: POPE CONVENES MUSLIM AMBASSADORS REF: A. a) Vatican 206 ¶B. b) Vatican 204 ¶C. c) Vatican 203 et al. VATICAN 00000207 001.3 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Pope Benedict XVI expressed "esteem and profound respect" for Muslims at a meeting September 25 with ambassadors from Muslim nations. He did not retract the quotation he used in Regensburg (reftels),or give further explanation of his speech in Germany. The pope instead emphasized positive statements on Christian - Muslim relations and challenges to the relationship. He drew from previous Church documents, from Pope John Paul II, and from his own speeches. Pope Benedict made a particular point opposing "all manifestations of violence" and quoted John Paul II's words that "respect and dialogue require reciprocity in all spheres." The meeting was a gesture of good will from the pontiff, but should not be seen as a further apology. While Benedict and the Vatican hope that Muslim - Christian relations can now move forward, the pontiff still believes that inter-religious dialogue is only valuable if it can continue with mutual respect, "reciprocity," and a firm "no" to violence. In Pope Benedict's mind, this is the challenge to dialogue that the Muslim world has yet to answer. End Summary. -------------- Pope Meets Muslim Envoys -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Pope Benedict XVI expressed "esteem and profound respect" for Muslims at a meeting Monday with ambassadors from Muslim nations and leaders of Italy's own Islamic community at his summer residence, Castel Gandolfo (ref a). [Complete text of address emailed to Operations Center and EUR/WE.] The pope did not retract the controversial quotation he used in Regensburg, or offer any further explanation for his speech. He focused instead on emphasizing positive statements on Christian - Muslim relations, and challenges to the relationship, drawing from the groundbreaking Second Vatican Council some forty years ago, from Pope John Paul II, and from his own speeches. -------------- No to Violence -------------- ¶3. (U) Pope Benedict made a point of underlining the necessity of both Christians and Muslims working together to "oppose all manifestations of violence." He went on to point out that adherents of both faiths are manifesting their obedience to God when they respect life in the midst of "threats against people and against peace." -------------- Respect Requires Reciprocity -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Benedict stressed continuity with the legacy of Pope John II, recognizing his predecessor with a "sincere" prayer that the "relations of trust which have developed between Christians and Muslims over several years, will not only continue, but will develop further in a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue, based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge~" Benedict emphasized that dialogue is a two-way street, and pointedly quoted Pope John Paul II's words that "respect and dialogue require reciprocity in all spheres, especially in that which concerns basic freedoms, particularly religious freedom." -------------- Some Twenty Ambassadors in Attendance -------------- ¶5. (U) Some twenty ambassadors to the Holy See attended the meeting including envoys from Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Bosnia, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and the Arab League -- as well as representatives of Italy's Muslim community. Vatican Spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said the meeting is a sign that dialogue is returning to normal after "moments of misunderstanding." The VATICAN 00000207 002.3 OF 002 proceedings were carried live on Italian religious television and Vatican Radio. ¶6. (C) Egypt's DCM Baher Sheweikhi told us after the meeting that his country just hoped the matter could be put to rest. His ambassador passed the pope a letter at the meeting, asking that he footnote the offending quotation when the final texts of his trip were published. But the main message from Egypt was one of agreement to move on. The problem, Sheweikhi said, was calming down some people back home who have been stirred up by various forces. Iraq's Ambassador Albert Yelda (himself a Christian) told us after Monday's meeting that it was "time to move on," but noted that the very tension pointed out by the Egyptian DCM was keeping many ambassadors, even at the speech itself, "stony-faced." "They don't want to be seen on camera by the folks back home being too lenient on the pope," he said. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) Pope Benedict's meeting with Muslim envoys should not be seen as a further apology for his Regensburg speech or reactions to it. His text mainly contained quotes from previous Church documents, from Pope John Paul II, and from his own speeches to make the point that the Church's respect for Islam has been a constant for many years. Certainly the pope felt a need to make another gesture to Islam by inviting the ambassadors to Castel Gandolfo, and his pointed reference to continuity with John Paul II shows some desire to correct those who have charged that he has broken completely with the former pontiff on inter-religious dialogue issues. ¶8. (C) But while Benedict and the Vatican hope that Catholic - Muslim relations can now move forward again, the pontiff still believes that inter-religious dialogue is only valuable if it can continue with mutual respect and "reciprocity in all spheres," including the rejection of violence and support for religious freedom. This is a concept we have noted before -- one heard from various Vatican officials for many months now. It was a keen strategic move that in underlining his continuity with John Paul, Benedict used his predecessor's words to affirm his own new, tougher doctrine of reciprocity. In Pope Benedict's mind, reciprocity is the challenge to dialogue that the Muslim world has yet to answer. ¶9. (U) We will report septel with further reactions from the diplomatic corps and others on the issue. ROONEY