Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06VATICAN245
2006-11-28 08:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

POPE BENEDICT XVI'S VISIT TO TURKEY - THE VIEW FROM ROME

Tags:  PREL VT 
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P 280810Z NOV 06 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0566
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0594
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000245 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CLASSIFICATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: POPE BENEDICT XVI'S VISIT TO TURKEY - THE VIEW FROM ROME

REF: (A) VATICAN 232, (B) VATICAN 209, (C) VATICAN 207 AND PREVIOUS

CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CHRISTOPHER SANDROLINI, REASON

VATICAN 00000245 001.3 OF 002

1.4 (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000245

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CLASSIFICATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: POPE BENEDICT XVI'S VISIT TO TURKEY - THE VIEW FROM ROME

REF: (A) VATICAN 232, (B) VATICAN 209, (C) VATICAN 207 AND PREVIOUS

CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CHRISTOPHER SANDROLINI, REASON

VATICAN 00000245 001.3 OF 002

1.4 (D)


1. (C) Summary. The pope's visit to Turkey comes at a delicate
time for both parties, something unforeseen when the visit was
originally conceived over a year ago. Given high security
concerns, the recent controversy over the pope's Regensburg
remarks (reftels),and the pope's stance against Turkish entry
into the EU (expressed prior to becoming pope) on the one hand;
and the pope's strong views on religious freedom, the need for
Islam to reform itself, and the Christian roots of Europe on the
other, many will be satisfied if the visit simply occurs without
incident. Vatican insiders predict that Benedict will keep his
remarks low-key and emollient, but he may deliver a somewhat
stronger message in private. End summary.

2. (C) Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Turkey this week has been
long anticipated. The pope had hoped to go a year ago, but
Turkish authorities preferred that it be postponed. Had it
occurred as planned last year, the trip would have been focused
entirely on religion; as it stands now it will include one day
dedicated to official events -- including a meeting with Ali
Barkadoglu, a strong critic of the pope's Regensburg remarks --
and three days for religious purposes. With the event finally
imminent, we offer a look from Rome in anticipation.

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Apprehension
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3. (C) No one at the Vatican can help being a little nervous
about potential violence. Nevertheless, Vatican officials have
expressed no serious concern to us about the pope's safety.
From deputy foreign minister Parolin on down, they are confident
the Turkish government will lock things down and keep the
pontiff safe. (The Turkish DCM here told us there would be
literally thousands of snipers in each city.) The pope's
public appearances and mobility are limited, so there won't be a
lot of opportunity for terrorists. There may also be few people
on the streets, though this will make for less-than-desirable
optics for a papal trip. We have heard nevertheless that one

Turkish cleric involved in the visit has been getting visibly
anxious.

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Expectations
--------------


4. (C) Some Vatican officials we spoke to said they wished this
trip had never been planned, given the current climate between
the Vatican and the Muslim world. After Benedict's Regensburg
speech, however, and the threats and violence coming out of the
Muslim world, the pope couldn't back out of the trip. On one
level, Holy See officials are hoping the trip will come and go
as fast as possible -- the sooner they are back safe and sound
in Rome, the better. But others see the Turkey trip as another
opportunity for the pope to stand up to religiously inspired
terrorism emanating from the Muslim world, and make further
points on the need for reciprocity with regard to religious
liberty. One foreign ministry contact made this point to
visiting deputy national security advisor Abrams November 26.

--------------
Message
--------------


5. (C) The trip was originally conceived as an ecumenical voyage
to build on the already-strong relations between Benedict XVI
and his closest ally in the Orthodox world, Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew. (Even the nomenclature of the two can be
problematic: Turks have objected to the term "Ecumenical
Patriarch" despite its historic aspect, viewing it as grandiose
and even somewhat threatening, while Benedict's decision to
quietly drop the use of his title as "Patriarch of the West" has
been interpreted by some as implying a desire to be, in fact,
patriarch of all.) In addition to the focus on relations with
the Orthodox, there was always going to be some element of the
program focused on Islam. Now, however, the pope will have to
address the Islam-Christian issue more prominently, and every
word he says will be analyzed three and four times. Vatican
officials say Benedict will be careful not to drop a match on
the already flammable atmosphere in Turkey. One prominent MFA
source told us that they were going to check his speeches two or
three times to make sure that what the people hear is what the
pope really wants to say. All the same, Benedict will make some
strong points on the obligation of the Muslim world, and Turkey
in particular, to honor freedom of worship for all peoples in
their countries. One opportunity for this will occur when the
pope honors the memory of Italian missionary Father Andrea
Santoro, who was killed by a Muslim teenager in Turkey last
February.

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Goals

VATICAN 00000245 002.3 OF 002


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6. (C) Some will consider the trip a success if it concludes
without violence or major controversy. That's why most
officials aren't upset that the pope will (probably not meet the
prime minister (though a last-minute airport meeting may yet
happen). The fewer opportunities for problems, the better. The
fact that Benedict will visit the famous Blue Mosque -- his
first such visit as pope, and marking only the second papal
mosque visit in history -- may help rebuild his appeal to
Muslims. Others in the Holy See, however, want the pope to make
a further forceful statement about the obligations in today's
world of Muslims, their leaders, and their governments. Those
who had high hopes for ecumenical progress may yet be satisfied.
The gesture the pope is making by traveling to Istanbul on a
key feast day for the Orthodox is significant no matter what the
current circumstances of the trip. A strong stand for religious
freedom by the pope touches on important concerns for the
Orthodox as well, who have several outstanding religious freedom
issues with the Turkish government.

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Comment
--------------


7. (C) Turkish DCM Deniz Kilicer told us Turkey has no high
expectations, nor any hope of changing pope's views (known to be
rather negative) on Turkey's European aspirations. She noted
that while there is no historic anti-Catholic feeling in Turkey,
Benedict himself is unpopular. In this sense, an uneventful
visit is probably the best outcome. The visit does take
Benedict somewhat out of his more familiar ambit, marking his
first official trip outside Europe and to a country where he
cannot expect a warm public welcome for his views on the
Christian roots of Europe, or against "secular" values. Our
contacts emphasize that the pope is well aware of the need to
tread softly in public, but no one doubts the strength of his
convictions; thus he may choose to use his private meetings to
raise sensitive subjects -- particularly religious freedom --
more firmly.


8. (C) On other subjects, Kilicer also noted that following the
pope's visit Turkey will make a "significant" change regarding
Armenia -- probably liberalizing laws forbidding mention of
genocide -- and said that if the EU delivers the expected bad
news to Turkey regarding its accession, Ankara may begin to
explore other options such as a new regional forum in which it
could participate. Such a forum could include Russia, Central
Asian countries, Iran, and perhaps Pakistan and Japan.
SANDROLINI