REVEREND MOON'S REQUEST TO VISIT FRANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 002488 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2016 TAGS: SOCI SCUL PROP PINS PHUM FR GM SUBJECT: REVEREND MOON'S REQUEST TO VISIT FRANCE Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND GUIDANCE REQUEST: International Unification Church founder, Dr. Sun Myung Moon, and his wife, currently designated as "dangerous persons" and banned from entering France under the Schengen Information System, hope that the recent ruling of a German court to overturn the ban will have similar effects in France. The Moons have long argued that their proscription is unjustified, and Unification Church adherents have requested that Embassy officials lobby the French government to follow the German court's lead to allow the now elderly Moon to visit his followers in France. While Moon himself is not American, many of those requesting assistance are U.S. citizens. Post requests guidance on how to proceed with this matter. END SUMMARY AND GUIDANCE REQUEST. ¶2. (SBU) In multiple meetings with Poloff, French and American representatives of the International Unification Church have petitioned the USG to lobby the GOF on their behalf to allow their church founder, Dr. Sun Myung Moon, to visit the country. Moon and his wife are currently listed as "dangerous persons" under the European Schengen Information System and consequently are forbidden entry into the twelve Schengen Convention states, including France. Although France did not initiate the listing, it has thus far refused to deviate from it, although it has the option of making an exception if it so desires (as did the Netherlands). (Background: It was Germany itself that first cited the Schengen Treaty as the justification for banning Moon, writing in October 1998, "Mr. Moon is the leader of the Moon Movement/Moon Sect in which Mrs. Moon occupies a leading role alongside her husband. In the opinion of the German government, the Moon Movement is one of the so-called youth sects and psycho groups whose activities could represent possible risks to the social relations and personality development of young people. In addition, the aim of all activities of the Moon Movement was to establish a world governed by Korea under the leadership of the Moon Family. A public appearance of the Moons would encourage the spread of this movement and lead to strong public reaction. It would therefore be detrimental to public order and national security and to significant interests of the Federal Republic of Germany, thus providing sufficient reason to order refusal of entry pursuant to Article 96, paragraph 2 of the Schengen Convention.") Unification Church representatives now cite a May 5, 2007 German court ruling declaring unlawful the entry ban on the Moons in Germany under the terms of the Schengen Treaty as further justification for lifting the ban in France as well. ¶3. (U) Shortly after the full implementation of the Schengen System in 1995, Moon and his wife conducted an international speaking tour that took them to several European countries. According to the Moons, while changing planes in Paris en route from Budapest to Madrid, French authorities detained, separated and held the Moons in custody for several hours. Without access to a translator, they claim, Dr. Moon was pressured -- unsuccessfully -- to sign a document in French promising never again to set foot on French soil. French immigration authorities forbade the Moons from continuing their trip and forced them to return to Hungary. ¶4. (U) The Moons initiated judicial action in France to appeal their designation as "dangerous persons," arguing that a reading of the Schengen Convention reveals that its security provisions were designed to proscribe drug dealers, arms smugglers, terrorists and other dangerous criminals, not leaders of religious groups -- even controversial religious groups. Moreover, Moon's advocates have argued that Germany, France, and all members of the Schengen System are also obligated by their membership in the United Nations and as signatories to the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ¶5. (U) According to Unification Church sources, since the entry ban against the Moons is an administrative action related to security issues, it has been difficult to clarify the charges against them. France does not allow a listee or his attorney even to see his file or to know the precise nature of the charges against him. A case brought in 1996 challenging the listing initially resulted in a judge simply informing the Moons' attorney that he considered the file to be in order. ¶6. (SBU) GUIDANCE REQUEST: Unification Church representatives have made repeated requests for Embassy support in lobbying France to permit Moon to enter the country. They clearly regard the German court's ruling against the legitimacy of the Schengen ban as a major new argument supporting their cause and have asked Post to help PARIS 00002488 002 OF 002 make this argument as well to French authorities. Post requests guidance on how to proceed. We would also appreciate Embassy Berlin's view as to whether the legal rejection by German courts of the Schengen ban nullifies the ban itself, and by extension, French actions in putative support of it. END GUIDANCE REQUEST. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON