POPE MEETS IRANIAN FM; REMAINS FIRM ON NUKES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000270 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2016 TAGS: PTER PHUM PREL IR VT SUBJECT: POPE MEETS IRANIAN FM; REMAINS FIRM ON NUKES REF: A. VATICAN 265 ¶B. MARTIN - LARREA EMAILS VATICAN 00000270 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Pope Benedict XVI met briefly Dec 27 with Iranian FM Mottaki, who passed him a letter from President Ahmadinejad. The Vatican did not divulge the contents of the letter, but an Iranian spokesman said it focused on dialogue and cooperation among religious people. In light of the Holy See's interest in dialogue with Islam, and perhaps also in some measure to acknowledge Ahmadinjad's measured response to the pope's Regensburg speech, the Holy See compromised somewhat by allowing the FM a private moment with the pontiff. With some exceptions, Benedict reserves private audiences for heads of state. The Holy See has remained firm on Iran with regard to the nuclear and Holocaust issues. The pope's January 1 World Peace Day message takes specific aim at states attempting to acquire nuclear weapons, and a strong December 12 statement responded to Iran's Holocaust conference. While the Holy See is concerned that "channels of communication remain open" with Iran, and will likely host former President Khatami early in the new year, it remains supportive on the big issues - including the international community's resolve to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. End summary. -------------- Pope Meets Mottaki -------------- ¶2. (U) Pope Benedict XVI met briefly Dec. 27 with Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki, who passed him a letter from President Ahmadinejad. The pope met Mottaki and a four-member delegation immediately after the pope's weekly general audience in a side room off the audience hall. There had been very little advance word of the visit. A Vatican press statement did not comment on the contents of the letter, but said that "During the course of the meeting, the Iranian representatives expressed their best wishes to the pope and their pleasure for 50 years of diplomatic relations between Iran and the Holy See. For his part, the Holy Father also offered them best wishes and reaffirmed the role the Holy See intends to exercise for peace in the world, not as a political authority, but religious and moral, appealing to consciences so that the problems of peoples always are resolved through dialogue in mutual understanding and peace." ¶3. (U) An Iranian spokesman told reporters in Tehran that the president's letter did not deal with political concerns, but "on the need to find a way for putting an end to the sufferings of mankind and for promoting human relations based on common religious teachings." He said the president wrote the pope that dialogue and cooperation among religious believers could help promote greater justice among individuals and nations. -------------- -------------- Iranians Pushing for Private Audience -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) The Iranians had been pushing for high-level visit and audience with Pope Benedict for some time. With some exceptions, the pope has limited his private audiences to heads of state, greeting other VIPs in pull-asides after his normal Wednesday general audience. Sources tell us that the Iranians had argued for the FM to see the pope privately, given that he came bearing a letter from Ahmadinejad. In the past, when faced with the same argument, the Vatican didn't bite. Now, the aftermath of the Pope's Regensburg speech may have changed the dynamic. Pope Benedict has not backed down from his challenge to Islam on the subject of religious freedom and religiously- inspired terrorism, but he has made extra efforts (such as in his visit to Turkey) to engage with Islam. Pope Benedict is also well aware that Ahmadinejad's response to the Regensburg controversy was among the more measured statements coming out of the Muslim world. While they know that this was a calculated move by Ahmadinejad, Vatican officials appreciated it nevertheless. Wednesday's meeting - more than the typical pull-aside for a FM, but less than a full papal audience -- was a compromise for the Vatican. It is significant that the pope did not invite the FM into the papal apartments, but saw him in the much less formal Paul VI Hall. -------------- - VATICAN 00000270 002.2 OF 002 Vatican Firm on Nukes, Holocaust -------------- - ¶5. (C) While the Holy See wants to engage with Iran, it has remained firm on the nuclear and Holocaust issues. The pope's World Peace Day message (septel) released some days ago but set to be promulgated formally January 1, said that the "desire of some states to acquire nuclear weapons " was a "disturbing issue." The pontiff went on to warn against the "threatening clouds" gathering on "humanity's horizon" in this regard. The pope would not call a country by name in this context, but he was clearly referring to North Korea and Iran. In response to Teheran's Holocaust conference, the Holy See issued a statement December 12 (ref a, b) declaring (among other things) that the Holocaust was a "great tragedy before which we cannot remain indifferent." Deputy Foreign Minister Pietro Parolin said privately that the Holy See wanted to make it clear that the Holocaust was a historical fact not open to debate. ¶6. (C) Normally not a great believer in sanctions, Vatican officials here had been generally supportive in private during the lead-up to the passage of the recent UNSCR resolution on Iran. Some have expressed a concern that "channels of communication remain open" and "draconian travel bans" should be avoided. They are concerned that the cultural and religious exchanges that the Holy See enjoys with Iran could suffer under such bans - these being the main instruments by which the Vatican tries to influence the regime and society. Regardless, the Holy See understands the need of the international community to act. -------------- Comment: No Change of Course -------------- ¶7. (C) The Mottaki visit should not be seen as a change of course for the Holy See. In light of Regensburg, the pope may have accommodated the Iranians somewhat more than expected. However, the Holy See has a fifty-year plus formal relationship with Iran and always places a high premium on exchange and dialogue. As an example, former President Khatami is said to be coming to the Vatican early in the new year, his trip having been postponed by the Iranians last October in the wake of Regensburg. The Holy See will continue this type of contact, but remains supportive on the big issues - including the international community's resolve to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. We will engage further on the Mottaki visit in the coming days. SANDROLINI