Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06VATICAN67
2006-04-20 14:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

VATICAN HARDENING LINE ON ISLAM

Tags:  VT KIRF PTER PHUM SOCI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHROV #0067/01 1101434
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P 201434Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0305
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RUEHVV/ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0333
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 000067 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; DRL/IRF MATES AND KELLY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/20/2016
TAGS: VT KIRF PTER PHUM SOCI
SUBJECT: VATICAN HARDENING LINE ON ISLAM

REF: A) VATICAN 32; B) VATICAN 53; C) VATICAN 43

VATICAN 00000067 001.2 OF 003


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





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Summary
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 000067

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; DRL/IRF MATES AND KELLY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/20/2016
TAGS: VT KIRF PTER PHUM SOCI
SUBJECT: VATICAN HARDENING LINE ON ISLAM

REF: A) VATICAN 32; B) VATICAN 53; C) VATICAN 43

VATICAN 00000067 001.2 OF 003


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





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Summary
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1. (C) Relations with Islam and the issue of reciprocity for
worship have taken center stage recently at the Holy See. Pope
Benedict took the initial step in this direction in February
with strong comments when he welcomed Morocco's new ambassador.
Since then successive Vatican officials have weighed in with
comments urging greater clarity in relations with the Islamic
world. Benedict's recent meeting with Egypt's Hosni Mubarak was
a 30- minute discussion on religious freedom in Egypt, Iraq and
Iran, as well as the future of inter-faith relations. No longer
willing simply to turn the other cheek, the Vatican is demanding
greater protection for Christians and greater freedom for
religious expression. Influential Jesuit-run journal La Civilta
Cattolica dedicated a hard-hitting editorial to the issue of
religious tolerance, describing the "fundamentalist
orchestrated" and government-inspired violence surrounding the
publication of satirical cartoons about Islam. Muslim diplomats
here have emphasized that the Islamic world looks to the Holy
See for leadership in dialogue efforts. While the Vatican's
continued engagement on the issues is certain, a harder line is
clearly emerging. End Summary.

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Enough Turning the Other Cheek
--------------


2. (C) In recent years, the Holy See has generally been a
voice of moderation in dealings with the Muslim world, but
continuing terrorism and the recent cartoon violence have led
Vatican officials to begin hardening their line. The Vatican
has increasingly been calling for reciprocity on worship and
religious freedom issues, making clear that dialogue and
understanding cannot be a one-way street. Pope Benedict himself
took an initial public step in this regard, calling for greater
reciprocity in religious matters when receiving the Moroccan

Ambassador for the first time (ref a). Speaking in the context
of the violence against Christians and others in the wake of the
cartoon controversy, the pope affirmed that peace could only be
assured through "respect for the religious convictions and
practices of others, in a reciprocal way in all societies."
[Note: Ambassador Rooney's subsequent meeting with the Moroccan
ambassador revealed that the Moroccan representative was
receptive to Benedict's call, and hoped to intensify his
government's interaction with the Holy See (ref b).]


3. (C) In recent months other Vatican officials, in what
appears to be a coordinated strategy, have shared the Church's
concern and their "personal" perspectives on relations with
Islam and the issue of reciprocity with the Italian secular
press. Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano told
journalists that "if we tell our people they have no right to
offend, we have to tell the others [Muslims] they have no right
to destroy us." Bishop Rino Fisichella, Rector of the Holy
See's Lateran University and one of the Vatican's top
theological advisors, said the Vatican should speak out more on
reciprocity and drop its "diplomatic silence." "We should put
pressure on international organizations to make the societies
and states in majority Muslim countries face up to their
responsibilities," he said. Vatican FM Lajolo recently told
journalists that the Church had to "always stress our demand for
reciprocity in political contacts with authorities in Islamic
countries and, even more, in cultural contacts". The frankest
comment came from a senior official at the Holy See's equivalent
of a supreme court, who said he had seen "enough of this turning
the other cheek! It's our duty to protect ourselves." Only a
wayward comment from frequently off-message Cardinal Renato
Martino on allowing the teaching of Islam in Italian public
schools sounded a different note from the emerging Vatican view,
and he later clarified his comments.

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Pope Raises Islam with Cardinals
--------------


4. (C) On the margins of the late March consistory bringing
together the world's cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI held meetings
to discuss several issues - among them, relations with Islam.
Though the cardinals are observing secrecy regarding the

VATICAN 00000067 002.2 OF 003


specifics of the meetings, contacts tell us that the main
message was a call for continued dialogue with moderate Muslims,
coupled with a new message of accountability in Islam. Several
cardinals reportedly took up the latter theme in earnest at the
meeting. Washington's Cardinal Theodore McCarrick told the
press that the pope was concerned most about fundamentalist
Islam which was "a threat to every other faith." The pope took
the opportunity the same weekend to call for greater religious
freedom during his traditional Sunday Angelus prayer March 26.

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Reciprocity also a Focus in Private
--------------


5. (C) The Holy See is also focusing on the issue of
reciprocity in private diplomatic meetings and behind closed
doors in the various Vatican dicasteries (departments).
Moroccan Ambassador Achour told Ambassador Rooney that his
initial Vatican meetings focused on these dynamics (ref b).
Pope Benedict's March 13 meeting with Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak was a tightly-packed 30-minute discussion of religious
freedom in Egypt, Iraq and Iran, as well as the future of
inter-faith relations worldwide.


6. (C) Several top Vatican officials have expressed to us
privately even stronger opinions on the issue of reciprocity and
on Islam in general. Post reported previously on a dinner the
Ambassador hosted for the Archbishop Pietro Sambi, new nuncio to
the U.S., attended by several prominent cardinals (ref a). The
common opinion was that current approaches to Islam were not
working; the Church needed to harden its line in recognition of
the fact that dialogue with Islam was hampered by institutional
and theological factors unlikely to change. Cardinal Francis
Arinze, former Vatican lead on inter-religious dialogue, told
the Ambassador much the same recently in a private meeting. He
added that Saudi Arabia's position that the whole country is
basically a shrine is untenable. Even many Saudis agree, he
continued, but cannot say anything about it.


7. (C) Another close contact in the Secretariat of State told
us that there was more and more talk behind closed doors in the
Vatican on reciprocity. The recent gifts of Saudi Prince
Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud to Georgetown and Harvard Universities
to establish or expand academic opportunities relating to
Islamic studies had created a buzz. "There's nothing wrong with
the gifts, or studying Islam," our contact said, "but what about
the freedom to learn about Christianity in Saudi Arabia?"

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Vatican-Sponsored Journal Weighs In
--------------


8. (U) The most systematic exposition of the new Vatican
thinking was found recently in the influential Jesuit magazine,
La Civilta Cattolica (Catholic Civilization),a mouthpiece for
the Holy See's Secretariat of State. Civilta accused some
Islamic governments of "conniving" with fundamentalists to
foment the violent reactions to the cartoons. While the
magazine condemned the cartoons for their blasphemous depiction
of Mohammed which outraged Muslims, it also criticized the
violence against the West resulting from what was merely "a form
of satire." Civilta pointed out that European governments were
making a concerted effort to integrate Muslims into their
societies. Any problems associated with this process Civilta
attributed to the Muslim community itself, due to the lack of
desire to integrate, or the difficulty of trying to dialogue
with a community with no single identifiable leadership.


9. (U) Civilta went on to call for reciprocity from governments
in predominantly Muslim states for religious worship and
freedoms. "Just as in the West Muslims are guaranteed complete
freedom of conscience and religion, this also must be guaranteed
- on the basis of reciprocity - to Christians living in
countries with a Muslim majority." Civilta called on European
governments to push for these rights. Europe must show "greater
firmness against any attack on these principles" - no matter who
the victims are, Civilta said.

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Dips Take Notice of New Directions
--------------


10. (C) The Holy See's tightening of its Islam policy has
caused ripples within the diplomatic community here. In
discussing the pope's changes in his office for inter-religious
dialogue (ref c and d) and the Holy See's new assertiveness on
reciprocity, Muslim diplomats have mainly expressed the hope
that the Vatican will remain active on inter-religious dialogue.
Many have stressed to us that the Islamic world looks to the

VATICAN 00000067 003.2 OF 003


Holy See for leadership in these dialogue efforts - its
continued efficacy and engagement is crucial. The general tone
of the dialogue here is certainly more rigid than it has been in
recent years. In one recent meeting Iraq's ambassador to the
Holy See was animated as he told Ambassador Rooney that he saw
the need for a much tougher line on Islam. With the caveat that
he was expressing his personal views, he said that any dialogue
with moderate Islam was going to be a problem for the West. "No
real Muslim will accept Christians and Jews," he claimed, "how
can there be any real dialogue or peaceful co-existence under
those circumstances?"

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


11. (C) Movement on positions comes slowly at the Vatican -
one reason that the recent flurry of harder-line comments on
Islam is notable. Civilta Cattolica is a convenient tool for
the Holy See to float these views without having to enter the
morass of politics and media that a formal document would
entail. The process whereby Civilta Cattolica copy is
scrutinized by the Secretariat of State prior to publication
also allows the Holy See to "insert" or strengthen certain
policy messages; in fact, one contact in the Secretariat of
State told us a recent article had come almost entirely from his
notes.


12. (C) The worries of some Muslim diplomats and others
notwithstanding, the Holy See's continued - and even heightened
- engagement on these issues is certain. Only its approach is
changing. As one example, the Secretariat of State (MFA) has
quietly been convening a Vatican-wide working group on Islam
that is attempting to coordinate various viewpoints and
experiences in dealing with Islam. The group is working on
recommendations and projects, including a Vatican gathering of
papal nuncios from Muslim countries at which envoys could share
experiences and discuss common challenges. In general, bringing
personnel from various dicasteries together for a working group
is rare for the territorial Vatican bureaucracy. The move is
one example of how seriously leadership is taking the current
state of relations with Islam.
ROONEY