HOLY SEE HAS RECOGNIZED KOSOVO "DE FACTO", SAYS VATICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000038 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/30/2028 TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF KIRF KJUS UN UNMIK YI EU VT SUBJECT: HOLY SEE HAS RECOGNIZED KOSOVO "DE FACTO", SAYS VATICAN OFFICIAL REF: VATICAN 16 VATICAN 00000038 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Chris Sandrolini, DCM. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Holy See is not ready to formally recognize Kosovo but will continue to promote dialogue in a way that implicitly acknowledges and respects Kosovo's de facto independence. The Holy See's diplomatic objectives are to balance relations with Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church -- as well as the situation of Catholics in Serbia -- with the legitimate aspirations of all Kosovars and the situation of Catholics in Kosovo. The Vatican's position on formal recognition is not linked to the Holy See's disappointment with language with implications on abortion and same-sex marriages in the recently approved constitution. End summary. ¶2. (C) Pol/econ chief met with Monsignor Miguel Maury, the Holy See's point person for the Balkans, on April 16 to continue to encourage the Holy See to formally recognize Kosovo. Disappointment with the new constitution -------------- ¶3. (C) Maury confirmed that the Holy See is very disappointed with specific language in the constitution which it views as opening the door to the possibility -- even if very unlikely in today's Kosovo -- to same-sex marriages, and an attempt to preclude challenges to abortion. This language, he thought, was introduced by international consultants with views (and political agendas) that are different from those held by Kosovars themselves. The parliament might have not objected to these provisions to avoid delays in the institutional-building process of the new republic. Maury added that the Holy See's "indignation" with the constitution, however, was not a factor in the Vatican's position with respect to recognition. Balancing interests -------------- ¶4. (C) The Holy See is not ready to formally recognize Kosovo because this would undermine its relations with the government of Serbia and the ecumenical dialogue with the Serbian Orthodox Church. A Serbian Orthodox Church official, he noted, had told him that the decision to hold off extending recognition "was more important (to the Serbian Orthodox Church) than many of the steps taken to foster ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox." ¶5. (C) Maury acknowledged that holding off formal recognition puts the estimated 65,000 Catholics in Kosovo in an uncomfortable position, a position that has to be balanced with the hostility that the 300,000 Croatian and Hungarian Catholics in Serbia could face should the Holy See act otherwise. While Maury had no illusions that Serbia itself would recognize Kosovo any time soon, he speculated that Belgrade may accept an eventual common EU recognition as the price to pay for EU admission. "De facto" recognition -------------- ¶6. (C) Maury downplayed the Holy See's reluctance to formally recognize Kosovo by underlining what he described as the Vatican's "de facto" recognition of the new republic and the desire for Kosovo to succeed in a peaceful process of nation-building. He noted that the Holy See was the first entity to comment about the independence of Kosovo in terms that acknowledged its irreversibility: on February 18 -- just a day after Kosovo declared its independence -- the papal spokesman, Father Lombardi, stated that "the Holy See invites everyone, in particular the political leaders of Serbia and Kosovo, to show prudence and moderation (...),so that the premise may be created for A FUTURE OF RESPECT, RECONCILIATION AND COOPERATION" (emphasis added). ¶7. (C) Maury also recalled how the Pope had met with the President of Kosovo, Fatmir Sejdiu, on February 2, and how Catholic officials in Kosovo have welcomed the former Serbian province independence. Maury confirmed that the Holy See's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has received a SIPDIS letter from President Sejdiu asking for recognition and diplomatic relations. While the request is officially "under consideration", the Holy See is not planning to respond to it at this time. He added that some Muslim officials in the Balkans have occasionally accused the Holy See of bias against Kosovo because it is a Muslim-majority country. Maury strongly rejects this criticism, noting that the Holy See has diplomatic relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) In our previous meeting (reftel),Maury noted that the Holy See could not take action on recognition in the absence of a formal request from Kosovo's authorities, and hinted that VATICAN 00000038 002.2 OF 002 recognition would not be imminent even after such a request. Now that the request has been issued, Maury has introduced a different spin to the Holy See's position, maintaining that the Vatican has "de facto" recognized Kosovo and needs not take further action at this time. ¶9. Comment continued: Maury is a senior official that has served in the Balkans and speaks authoritatively on the issue of Kosovo. Furthermore, his exposition is consistent with what his superior, deputy foreign minister Pietro Parolin, mentioned to the DCM separately. While the Vatican understands the newly independent republic's desire for prompt formal recognition by as many countries as possible -- as well as USG support for this legitimate goal -- the risks for the Holy See's interests in the region outweigh the benefits of recognition. We will continue to encourage the Holy See to revisit the issue, but expect that -- for the time being -- it will chose instead to advocate for peace, reconciliation and progress for the whole region without formally recognizing Kosovo's independence. End comment. GLENDON