Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06VATICAN264
2006-12-18 17:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

LEBANON: HOLY SEE ENVOY PROPOSAL ON HOLD

Tags:  LE PREL SOCI PHUM SY VT 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8004
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHSR
DE RUEHROV #0264/01 3521740
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181740Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0593
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0015
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0049
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0046
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0003
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0621
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000264 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2031
TAGS: LE PREL SOCI PHUM SY VT
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HOLY SEE ENVOY PROPOSAL ON HOLD

REF: A. VATICAN 253 ET AL.


B. LARREA - EMBASSY VATICAN EMAIL

VATICAN 00000264 001.2 OF 002


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

Summary

-----------



C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000264

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2031
TAGS: LE PREL SOCI PHUM SY VT
SUBJECT: LEBANON: HOLY SEE ENVOY PROPOSAL ON HOLD

REF: A. VATICAN 253 ET AL.


B. LARREA - EMBASSY VATICAN EMAIL

VATICAN 00000264 001.2 OF 002


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

Summary

--------------




1. (C) Holy See FM equivalent Mamberti told the Ambassador
December 18 that the Vatican had decided to hold off on sending
an envoy to Lebanon (ref a),saying that circumstances were not
right for such a mission. In a separate conversation, a Vatican
official implied that the Holy See was waiting to gauge
reactions to the Arab League plan and did not want to upset a
precarious balance by sending an envoy into the fray now. In a
related development December 14, the pope received the
credentials of the new Syrian ambassador to the Holy See. The
Holy See made its point on Syrian policies on Lebanon publicly
and privately. As reported previously, there is an internal
struggle at the Vatican on how aggressive to be in its Middle
East diplomacy. We recommend continued engagement with
Archbishop Sambi in Washington, as we continue to work with the
Holy See Secretariat of State here to tip the balance. End
summary.



--------------

No Envoy for Now

--------------




2. (C) Holy See Secretary for Relations with States (FM
equivalent) Archbishop Dominique Mamberti told the Ambassador
December 18 that the Vatican had decided to hold off on sending
an envoy to Lebanon for the time being (ref a). Until the
government is ready to compromise, he said, the Holy See now
thinks an envoy would not be able to play a useful role.
Mamberti also said that an envoy would not be able to
manufacture unity among Christians in Lebanon. He said he was
under no illusions about General Aoun, and was particularly
frustrated about the role he was playing in lending Hezbollah
some credibility among Christians. He noted that the Holy See
was continuing to work with the Nuncio and Patriarch to do what
it could behind the scenes to help heal rifts within the
Christian community. The Ambassador emphasized to Mamberti the
seriousness of the situation in Lebanon and reiterated points we
have made previously about the crucial role the Holy See could
play, especially with regard to Aoun and Lahoud (ref b).



--------------

Arab League

--------------




3. (C) In a separate conversation December 18, the Vatican
MFA's director for the Middle East, Monsignor Franco Coppola,
told us that the Holy See was hopeful that the Arab League's
plan for Lebanon would be helpful. He implied that the Holy See
preferred to wait to see how reactions to this plan developed
and did not want to upset a precarious balance by sending an
envoy into the fray now.



-------------- --------------

Pope Makes Point to Syrian Ambassador

-------------- --------------




4. (C) In related developments, the pope received the
credentials of Makram Obeid, the new Syrian ambassador to the
Holy See, on December 14. High-ranking Vatican officials had
told Ambassador Rooney that there had been a controversy within

VATICAN 00000264 002.2 OF 002


the Holy See Secretariat of State as to how tough to be on the
Syrians - publicly and privately - about their destructive role
in Lebanon and the region (ref b). In the end, in the context
of Vatican diplomacy the pope's public statement [emailed to
EUR/WE] was quite strong. The pope noted that he had "pleaded
for a cessation of violence in Lebanon, in the Holy Land, and in
Iraq~as innocent people continue to suffer and targeted
individuals are kidnapped or assassinated."




5. (C) Coppola told us that the pope kept his private
conversation diplomatic, but had made it clear to Ambassador
Obeid that the Holy See saw Syria's influence in Lebanon as
dangerous. Mamberti told the Ambassador that Cardinal Secretary
of State Bertone went further in his meeting with Obeid,
speaking strongly to him about Syria's role.



--------------

Comment

--------------




6. (C) As reported previously, there is an internal struggle
at the Vatican on how aggressive to be in its Middle East
diplomacy. Post believes we still have an opportunity to
influence the Holy See to dive in deeper on Lebanon. We
recommend continued engagement with Archbishop Sambi in
Washington, as we continue to work with the Holy See Secretariat
of State here. On the envoy issue, we feel there is still space
to push back; we welcome specific points on the issue.
ROONEY