HOLY SEE RESPONSE TO IRAN DEMARCHE: THINKING IT OVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000096

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/2/2016
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE RESPONSE TO IRAN DEMARCHE: THINKING IT OVER

REF: (A) STATE 87682, (B) VATICAN 095 (C) VATICAN 051 and previous

CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, Deputy Chief of Mission,
EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

1. (C) Summary. The Holy See will probably issue some kind of
response to our Iran demarche, supporting a "diplomatic path"
but falling well short of what we have asked. The Holy See
remains reluctant to speak out publicly on Iran (or indeed on
most geopolitical issues) and appears to take a milder view of
Iran's statements and activities than does the USG. End summary.


2. (SBU) Charge d'affaires read ref A points June 2 to
Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, the Holy See's Secretary for
Relations with States (foreign minister equivalent). Charge
also handed Lajolo a copy of Secretary Rice's May 31 statement
on Iran. Lajolo was accompanied by Monsignor Franco Coppola,
who took careful notes.


3. (C) Lajolo listened carefully and responded immediately by
saying that the Holy See would be very unlikely to issue a
statement as requested. The Holy See does not traditionally
operate by public statements, he said, and particularly in this
case would want to maintain its independent and neutral stance
-- not because it favors Iran, but because it needs flexibility
to respond to the situation. He added that with a proud nation
like Iran, it would be counterproductive to put them in a corner
with a public ultimatum. Nevertheless he said the Holy See
always encourages diplomatic efforts and would consider what it
might be able to say publicly in response to our request. In
musing over this with Coppola, Lajolo seemed encouraged by the
fact that the US is asking Iran only to "suspend" rather than
"renounce" its enrichment/reprocessing activity.


4. (C) Lajolo repeated several times the importance of taking a
"diplomatic" approach (meaning, as opposed to what he considers
the USG's confrontational public approach). As for the
substance of the US request, he said, the Holy See does not have
the expertise to comment on the technical aspects of Iran's
enrichment program, and cannot judge whether it is peaceful or
not. As to President Ahmadinejad's menacing public statements
toward Israel, Lajolo responded with an Italian proverb ("tra il
dire e il fare c'e di mezzo il mare" -- literally, between
saying a thing and doing it there's an ocean in between)
indicating that the Holy See tended to take such statements more
as rhetorical exaggerations for domestic purposes than as actual
threats. The Iranian people, said Lajolo, are unsatisfied with
the theocracy, but in solidarity with Ahmadinejad. Let's not
risk strengthening that by provoking them through ultimatums, he
said; let's not take a "schoolmaster's tone".


5. (C) Lajolo added confidentially that Iranian Foreign Minister
Mottaki asked (through the Iranian ambassador to the Holy See)
about a month ago to visit the Holy See for an audience with
Pope Benedict XVI and deliver a letter to the pope from
Ahmadinejad (see ref B; Lajolo had not heard about any possible
Khamenei letter). Thus far the Holy See has not responded,
prompting the Iranian charge here to complain; Lajolo said the
Iranian mission here has "insisted, many times" on a response.
The Holy See is now preparing to respond that Mottaki is welcome
to come, but only to see Lajolo, who would undertake to deliver
Ahmadinejad's letter to the pope. Lajolo indicated that the
Holy See, in its dialogue with Iran, focuses on the welfare of
the Iranian Christian community; he said that so far Iran has
not/not sought to raise its relationship with the United States
when talking with the Holy See.

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COMMENT
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6. (C) The Holy See clearly prefers to maintain its traditional
low profile on controversial geopolitical issues. It also seems
clear, if less explicit, that Lajolo takes a milder view of Iran
and Ahmadinejad. Lajolo wrestled with the possibility of the
Holy See's saying something publicly, consulting Coppola about
it several times; judging from their comments and body language,
the Holy See will probably try to issue some sort of positive
response about the "diplomatic path", but it will certainly fall
short of what we are asking. Lajolo did say that USG input (ref
C) had been helpful to the Holy See and had influenced their own
approach to Iran.

SANDROLINI