VATICAN: MUSLIM AMBASSADORS REACT TO PAPAL GESTURES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 000209 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; DRL/IRF HEWETT E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/3/2031 TAGS: KIRF PTER SOCI PHUM VT SUBJECT: VATICAN: MUSLIM AMBASSADORS REACT TO PAPAL GESTURES REF: A. VATICAN 207 ¶B. VATICAN 206 ¶C. VATICAN 204 ¶D. VATICAN 201 VATICAN 00000209 001.3 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The ambassadors of several Muslim nations told Ambassador Rooney in recent days that they were ready to move on after the flap with Pope Benedict XVI. Some were still sensitive about the pope's quotation in his Regensburg speech, and all felt the pope had made a mistake in using it. According to some, the quotation had given radical Muslims ammunition to whip up anti-Western sentiment. Unfortunately our Muslim contacts have generally failed to see the controversy as an opportunity to address underlying issues of religion and violence and the disproportionate (violent) response of some in the Muslim world. The Vatican's analysis of recent events (reftels and septel) is markedly different from that of the Muslim envoys. End Summary. -------------- Ambassador Addresses Muslims -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador Rooney met with the ambassadors of several Muslim nations in recent days to get feedback on the recent flap with the Holy See, and in particular on their reaction to the pope's unusual September 25 meeting with Muslim ambassadors to the Holy See and Italian Muslim representatives (ref a). Ambassador Rooney emphasized President Bush's desire for continuing dialogue and strong relations with moderate Islam, and pointed out that it is in everyone's interest to avoid a clash of civilizations. The Muslim envoys were enthusiastic about the chance to discuss the issue with Ambassador Rooney and address their concerns. -------------- Steps Appreciated -------------- ¶3. (C) Most Muslim envoys appreciated the steps the pope has taken since his Regensburg speech, especially his convocation of ambassadors and Italian Islamic leaders September 25. Most stated that it was time to move on, even if there are lingering sensitivities. "You can't expect a direct apology" from the pope, Moroccan Ambassador Ali Achour told Ambassador Rooney. The steps the pope has taken are "good enough" to "put an end to the issue" Achour concluded. He said that his government had felt compelled to recall him in order to make a statement about the matter, but that it was only three days - "no big deal." ¶4. (C) Indonesian Ambassador Bambang Prayitno emphasized the moderate, proportional reaction to the pope's speech in his country, and noted the calls of Indonesian leaders for calm in the wake of the Regensburg remarks. He didn't anticipate any lasting problems in Indonesian - Holy See relations as a result of the Regensburg speech, or the recent executions of three Catholics in Indonesia (septel). -------------- For Some Case is Not Closed -------------- VATICAN 00000209 002.3 OF 003 ¶5. (C) While most envoys have lowered their voices, the case is not yet closed on this episode. Foreign ministers from the Organization of the Islamic Conference approved a statement after the pope's September 25 meeting calling for the Vatican to "retract or redress" the Regensburg quotation. Egyptian Ambassador to the Holy See Nevine Simaika Halim Abdalla passed the pope a letter September 25 asking for a modification of the written record of his trip (ref a). It is clear to us that the pope will not apologize further, though a footnote in the final text of the Regensburg speech is not out of the question. -------------- Lingering Feelings -------------- ¶6. (C) Our Muslim contacts here - even those who were ready to turn the page on the issue - were unanimous in their view that the use of the quotation was a "mistake" that had needlessly angered the Muslim world. Mild-mannered Prayitno told Ambassador Rooney that the inclusion of the offending quotation was "of course" a mistake, regardless of the context. Neither he nor other Muslim contacts were quick to see the opportunity for a more frank or direct dialogue on the question of religiously-inspired violence in the wake of the pope's remarks. ¶7. (C) Halim Abdalla acknowledged that the pope's message in Regensburg was complex, but said that the Muslim on the street would not understand the nuances of an academic speech. She said the pope needed to understand that he even when giving an academic lecture, he is still the pope, and his words would therefore be taken in a different light. She criticized his choice of quotation on logical and factual grounds before taking aim at what she saw as a central problem with the episode. "He easily could have used an old testament passage to illustrate the commingling of violence and religion," she said," but he couldn't do that for fear of offending the Jews." She added that there were plenty of Christian episodes of violence to choose from as well. -------------- Devils Smearing Islam -------------- ¶8. (C) Halim Abdalla condemned Al Qaeda and their ilk as "devils" who are "smearing" the reputation of Islam. But she said that the pope's words had given the radical fringe ammunition to incite the impressionable masses. The Moroccan ambassador had a similar take, charging that the pope had played into the hands of the radicals, and made it difficult for the moderates. Halim Abdalla commented that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had played it smart politically, expressing outrage at first, but then appearing reasonable in response to the pope's later comments. -------------- Vatican Bureaucracy -------------- ¶9. (C) Several envoys emerged from the flap with complaints about the Vatican bureaucracy. Achour said the streamlined staffing at the Vatican made it difficult for him to pick up the phone and speak to someone when the issue heated up. He also charged that the transfer of the former Vatican chief of relations with Muslims, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, to Egypt, had left a gaping hole in the hierarchy. Achour did not feel that French Cardinal Paul Poupard (now overseeing the Catholic - VATICAN 00000209 003.3 OF 003 Muslim portfolio) was really the "go-to" person who would be responsive in a situation like this. -------------- Israeli Weighs In -------------- ¶10. (C) Israeli Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur, who has followed events closely, told Ambassador Rooney he agreed that radical Islamic elements had been skillful in taking advantage of the pope's quotation. In the end, though, he was left with the feeling that the way ahead in Christian - Muslim dialogue (which also heavily impacts Judaism and Israel) will be difficult. He sees an impassable roadblock on the religious end of dialogue, since the word of Mohammed is "immutable and transcendental." On the other hand, a cultural and political dialogue based on "mutual respect" requires an adherence to ideals of reciprocity (i.e., in freedom of religion and condemnation of violence) between the Muslim world and the West that, according to Ben-Hur, the Muslims can't stomach. This all should lead to the state having a greater role in enforcing standards of reciprocity and religious freedom when religious authorities are at an impasse or are restricting such freedoms - but this is only possible if there is Church/State separation. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶11. (C) Ambassador Rooney's recent conversations (and Post's conversations with lower-level contacts) reveal a Muslim community on the whole ready to move ahead, but not forget what most see as a grave slight to Islam. We were disappointed that more have not seen an opportunity here to address underlying issues of religion and violence. Similarly, the hesitancy to address the disproportionate (violent) reaction by some in the Muslim world is a challenge. Still, Ambassador Rooney received favorable responses to his invitation to further dialogue on the issue, and Post will be pursuing several possibilities for collaboration with our colleagues from the Islamic world. ROONEY