Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VATICAN53
2007-03-09 16:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:
VATICAN PLEASED WITH SFEIR COMMENTS ON UNITY
how-toVZCZCXRO1333 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHSR DE RUEHROV #0053 0681628 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 091628Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0675 INFO RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0705 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0021 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000053
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/9/2017
TAGS: PREL LE VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN PLEASED WITH SFEIR COMMENTS ON UNITY
REF: A. A. VATICAN 47
B. B. LARREA - SONTY/DONICK MAR 5 EMAIL
CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000053
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/9/2017
TAGS: PREL LE VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN PLEASED WITH SFEIR COMMENTS ON UNITY
REF: A. A. VATICAN 47
B. B. LARREA - SONTY/DONICK MAR 5 EMAIL
CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Monsignor Franco Coppola, Holy See Secretariat of State
Middle East Director, told us March 8 that he was pleased with
recent strong statements by the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah
Sfeir calling for unity among Christians in Lebanon. Coppola
did caution, however, that these and other statements by Sfeir
may be directed mainly at the Maronite community, due to
upcoming elections in a lay Maronite group connected to the
Church. Coppola said he hoped that the statements would echo
more broadly and have some political effect.
2. (C) During a recent visit to the Vatican by NEA DAS Danin
the Holy See discussed again the possibility of sending an envoy
to Lebanon to make a stronger push for unity (ref a). Coppola
didn't think the Holy See was any closer to doing so, however.
His thinking tracked with what Papal Nuncio to the U.S. Pietro
Sambi told DAS Danin March 5 (ref b). Coppola said the
Christians on the ground had to do more on their own before any
outside intervention would be helpful. We suggested that Nuncio
to Lebanon Luigi Gatti might be more active in the meantime, but
Coppola was non-committal.
3. (C) Comment: We continue to press for greater Holy See
action on Lebanon, but Vatican thinking continues to track with
recent conversations with DAS Danin. Coppola also repeated the
Holy See's view (ref a) that more communication with Syria would
help resolve the situation.
SANDROLINI
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/9/2017
TAGS: PREL LE VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN PLEASED WITH SFEIR COMMENTS ON UNITY
REF: A. A. VATICAN 47
B. B. LARREA - SONTY/DONICK MAR 5 EMAIL
CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Monsignor Franco Coppola, Holy See Secretariat of State
Middle East Director, told us March 8 that he was pleased with
recent strong statements by the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah
Sfeir calling for unity among Christians in Lebanon. Coppola
did caution, however, that these and other statements by Sfeir
may be directed mainly at the Maronite community, due to
upcoming elections in a lay Maronite group connected to the
Church. Coppola said he hoped that the statements would echo
more broadly and have some political effect.
2. (C) During a recent visit to the Vatican by NEA DAS Danin
the Holy See discussed again the possibility of sending an envoy
to Lebanon to make a stronger push for unity (ref a). Coppola
didn't think the Holy See was any closer to doing so, however.
His thinking tracked with what Papal Nuncio to the U.S. Pietro
Sambi told DAS Danin March 5 (ref b). Coppola said the
Christians on the ground had to do more on their own before any
outside intervention would be helpful. We suggested that Nuncio
to Lebanon Luigi Gatti might be more active in the meantime, but
Coppola was non-committal.
3. (C) Comment: We continue to press for greater Holy See
action on Lebanon, but Vatican thinking continues to track with
recent conversations with DAS Danin. Coppola also repeated the
Holy See's view (ref a) that more communication with Syria would
help resolve the situation.
SANDROLINI