ZIMBABWE: HOLY SEE STILL WAITING FOR BISHOPS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000072 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/3/2017 TAGS: PREL VT ZI SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: HOLY SEE STILL WAITING FOR BISHOPS REF: Vatican 064 CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, Deputy Chief of Mission, EXEC, State. REASON: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador and DCM again discussed Zimbabwe with Monsignor Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's Undersecretary for Relations with States (i.e., deputy foreign minister) on April ¶3. Pointing to the strong statements made in recent days by Catholic bishops in Zimbabwe, Ambassador urged the Holy See to speak out. ¶2. (C) Parolin said the Holy See is very concerned about the situation and pleased at the strong and united stand of the bishops. The Vatican has been contemplating a possible papal statement, perhaps at the Easter Sunday "Urbi et Orbi" address on April 8 (reftel). However, he stressed that no decision had yet been made. Parolin repeated what we had heard previously: that the Holy See had sought, but not yet received, advice from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Zimbabwe as to a possible papal statement. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) Despite the bishops' stronger public stand, the Holy See remains hesitant to step forward without express support from the bishops' conference. Further conversations by Embassy Harare with the bishops, and/or their contacts, may be the best way forward. ROONEY