Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VATICAN136
2007-09-27 09:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

HOLY SEE: CARDINAL MARTINO ON IRAN, IRAQ, OTHER SUBJECTS

Tags:  PREL VT 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9461
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHSR
DE RUEHROV #0136 2700922
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 270922Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0800
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0830
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000136 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/26/2017
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: CARDINAL MARTINO ON IRAN, IRAQ, OTHER SUBJECTS


CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, DCM, EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000136

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/26/2017
TAGS: PREL VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: CARDINAL MARTINO ON IRAN, IRAQ, OTHER SUBJECTS


CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, DCM, EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

1. (C) Summary. Cardinal Martino, head of two Holy See agencies
(Justice and Peace, and Migrants) spoke with Ambassador
September 25 on a variety of subjects, including Iraq, Iran,
Papal travel to the US, Secretary Rice, TIP, and his own travel.
Martino pointed out that his candor on Iraq was according to
the Pope's wishes, and that he is not against the United States.
End summary.


2. (U) Ambassador called on Cardinal Raffaele Martino on
September 25. Martino is President of two Holy See dicasteries
(departments) -- the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace,
and the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and
Itinerant Peoples. Monsignor James Reinert and Ambassador's
Special Assistant also attended. Martino, always outspoken,
addressed a number of issues, including Iran, Iraq, Zimbabwe,
the Pope's upcoming travel to the United States, and the
mini-flap in the press over Secretary Rice's recent request to
see the Pope. Martino's points follow in paras 3-7 below.


3. (C) Iran:

-- Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University represents a
"great show of democracy".
-- French FM Kouchner's comments about war with Iran were
counterproductive; threats are no good and don't work.
-- Iran is unlikely to have nuclear weapons.
-- Diplomacy worked with North Korea and can work with Iran as
well; this would be the best course.


4. (C) Iraq:

-- Martino's past criticism of the war was a direct reflection
of what Pope John Paul II told him to say -- "before, during,
and after" the war. Americans sometimes think Martino is
unfriendly to the US, but "this is not true".
-- the Holy See knew Saddam Hussein would leave Iraq or give up
power, had the US only waited a few months more.


5. (U) Zimbabwe:

-- Martino would appreciate knowing if the US is planning
additional assistance to Zimbabwe.


6. (C) Pope Benedict's US travel:

-- Martino said the trip to the United Nations was his own
suggestion.
-- Martino (formerly the Vatican's longtime UN Observer in New
York) is on good terms with UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon; prior to the
SYG's meeting earlier this year with the Pope, he asked Martino
if he should invite Benedict XVI to the UN. Martino said yes.
-- The April time frame for the visit is good for the UN, which
is relatively quiet at that time. The SYG will call a General
Meeting of the Assembly in honor of the Pope.
-- A fall 2008 trip, as initially proposed, was scrapped as
being too close to the US elections.


7. (C) Secretary Rice and the Pope:

-- Press reports about the Pope's declining to see the Secretary
in August have been overblown; Pope Benedict's practice is
normally to receive only heads of state.
-- Martino did not know the origin of the story, but Reinert
commented that "the Vatican is full of leaks".


8. (SBU) Other:

-- Martino will be traveling to Ecuador, Brazil, and Argentina
at the end of this week, returning to Rome October 11.
-- Martino is very interested in a TIP conference (co-sponsored
by Embassy Vatican) taking place in mid-October in Rome, and is
considering a "Justice and Peace" award for Sister Eugenia
Bonetti, the principal inspiration for the event. (Sister
Eugenia met President and Mrs. Bush during their visit here in
June of this year.)


9. (C) Comment: As Martino pointed out, his frankness on the
Iraq war should not be mistaken for hostility to the US. Though
nearing retirement age, the cardinal remains a lively and
influential figure within the Holy See. His interest in Sister
Eugenia is both gratifying and a nice example of the roundabout
way in which the Church's many good works sometimes come to
notice -- post's work with Sister Eugenia led to her meeting
with the First Lady, which in turn helped spur Department
funding for Sister Eugenia's long-cherished dream of hosting a
networking and training conference for other nuns around the
world who are also fighting Trafficking in Persons; and the
conference itself has raised her own profile within the Vatican.

Sandrolini