HOLY SEE EMPHASIZES BALANCE BETWEEN JUSTICE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 000096 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA, S/WCI E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/13/2032 TAGS: PREL PHUM KAWC SOCI VT RW BY SU CG SUBJECT: HOLY SEE EMPHASIZES BALANCE BETWEEN JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION IN WAR CRIME MATTERS WITH S/WCI AMBASSADOR WILLIAMSON REF: 06 VAT 00059 VATICAN 00000096 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher J. Sandrolini, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy Vatican. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Clint Williamson met with officials from the Holy See and from Vatican-affiliated NGO Sant'Egidio May 22 regarding war crimes issues. The Holy See concurred with Williamson's assessment that a one-size-fits-all approach was sub-optimal when addressing the prosecution of war crimes. The Holy See emphasized that justice should be balanced with reconciliation in whatever approach was adopted. Williamson and the Holy See discussed pending war crime matters in Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, the DRC, and the Balkans, and agreed that a close working relationship between S/WCI and the Holy See would be important in discussing how best to deal with each individual issue. -------------- Balance Justice with Reconciliation -------------- ¶2. (C) Meeting May 22 with Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Clint Williamson, Holy See Deputy Foreign Minister equivalent Pietro Parolin emphasized the Vatican's preference for a balance between justice and reconciliation when dealing with war crimes. He noted the Holy See's concerns (reftel) about the Rwanda tribunal, referring to the case of three priests accused of war crimes. One of the clerics was charged with failing to use his moral authority to stop killings - difficult charges to prove, Parolin commented. Williamson noted the practical problem that the court simply could not handle all the cases it was slated to take. Parolin appreciated Williamson's concerns on the tribunal, and was pleased that he had raised them to the Rwandan government. He said that it was difficult for the Vatican to speak to the GoR on the issue, and asked that the U.S. keep the Holy See's inquiries on Rwanda confidential. SIPDIS -------------- Burundi, Sudan, DRC -------------- ¶3. (C) Parolin raised his concerns regarding the lack of progress in the investigation of the December 2003 murder of the papal nuncio in Burundi. Williamson stressed the need for reconciliation in Burundi, leaving open the question of war crimes trials at a later date. Parolin asked about Darfur, emphasizing that the government should accept the involvement of the international community to help resolve the situation. Williamson agreed, and added that African leadership was needed on the issue. He explained that the USG's priority was to stop the killing and get food to the people who need it; Parolin was in full agreement. ¶4. (C) Parolin asked about the Democratic Republic of Congo, lamenting the "millions of victims" in the conflict. Williamson noted that the ICC was limited in its options there due to security concerns. Parolin agreed that in this case, and others, it was important to gauge the situation carefully and not simply charge ahead, destabilizing societies. He added that the Holy See thought it crucial to avoid the politicization of criminal tribunals. The two also touched on the Balkans, East Timor, and South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the latter as an example of S/WCI's efforts to anticipate issues it might face in post-conflict societies. -------------- Balkan Issues VATICAN 00000096 002.2 OF 003 -------------- ¶5. (C) Williamson also met with Monsignor Miguel Maury, the Holy See MFA's Balkan expert. The two were on the same page on most issues. Maury was pessimistic that Serbia would make necessary strides in apprehending war criminals under current leadership. He agreed with Williamson that Serb society needed to appreciate the fact that dealing with war criminals was a necessary step for the entire society - not simply a box to check in order to enter the EU. Contrasting the situation in Serbia with the strides that Croatians had made on these issues, he told the story of a Croatian priest who had preached a message of reconciliation at Christmas Eve midnight mass in 2000 in a mostly-destroyed church in Vukovar. When the parishioners heard him calling for forgiveness for the Serbs, half of them walked out. When the priest delivered the same homily in 2005 no one left the church. ¶6. (C) Maury said the best strategy with Serbia was to move slowly, using penalties and rewards, but not giving them everything all at once. There is still a long way to go, he emphasized, adding that ninety percent of Serbs believe that Milosevic was poisoned in the Hague. He mentioned the important role of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) on these issues and said that SOC leadership was happy with Prime Minister Kostunica. He commented that divisions within the SOC had led Pope John Paul to decline invitations to Serbia in the past. There are no current plans for Pope Benedict to visit Serbia. -------------- Sant'Egidio Experts Discuss Africa -------------- ¶7. (C) Williamson outlined S/WCI priorities with members of the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Vatican-linked NGO deeply engaged in conflict resolution work in Africa and elsewhere. The Community was represented by Fr. Matteo Zuppi, Sant'Egidio's lead for francophone Africa, and Vittorio Scelzo, who concentrates on Sudan and Northern Uganda. ¶8. (C) Sant'Egidio has been involved in mediation efforts in Northern Uganda, and has met with LRA leader Joseph Kony on occasion. [Note: Post linked AF and three Sant'Egidio members via digital video conference to discuss Northern Uganda May 25 - septel.] Williamson and Sant'Egidio discussed the complicating factor of ICC indictments in mediation efforts. Zuppi said that timing was the main issue - it would be ideal to carefully synchronize any final peace agreement and indictments. According to him, the indictments are the most significant issue standing in the way of an agreement. The government would prefer to avoid trials and find alternative solution. ¶9. (C) On Rwanda, Sant'Egidio shared Williamson's concern about the caseload for the tribunals. Zuppi thought the weakened Rwandan Church could be of limited usefulness in reconciliation efforts, whereas in Burundi it was stronger and might play a greater role. On Burundi, Zuppi agreed that no one had any interest in trials - just truth and reconciliation. He agreed that trials might be destabilizing for Burundi society. -------------- Working Lunch with MFA Directors -------------- ¶10. (C) Williamson had a working lunch with Monsignor Jose Bettencourt, a Canadian who covers much of West Africa for the Holy See MFA, and Monsignor Fortunatus Nwachukwu, a Nigerian covering the ICC and human rights. The two outlined their portfolios and expressed interest in Williamson's wide-ranging VATICAN 00000096 003.2 OF 003 work in their subject areas. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶11. (C) Vatican and Sant'Egidio interlocutors told us following the visit that they were very pleased with the Williamson meetings. His message that a "one size does not fit all" approach to these issues resonated with them, as did his description of the "prevention and response initiative" meant to address war crimes issues in a wider context. Bettencourt remarked to us that Williamson seemed to understand and appreciate the Vatican mindset on these issues, in particular the need to balance justice with reconciliation. "We come from different bureaucratic circumstances, but with the shared goals we spoke about, we can clearly work together," Bettencourt concluded. Claudio Betti, Sant'Egidio's director of international cooperation, told us later there was a positive buzz at the Community about the interaction. With their "very similar philosophies," Betti said he hoped Sant'Egidio would enjoy close future cooperation with S/WCI. Post would be happy to reinforce any approaches by Ambassador Williamson to Archbishop Sambi (nuncio to the U.S.) or other Holy See envoys by speaking with Parolin and others here at the Vatican. ¶12. (U) Ambassador Williamson has cleared this message. ROONEY