US embassy cable - 03VATICAN3958

UNCLAS VATICAN 003958 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN); IO/UNP; PM 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: AORC, KNNP, MNUC, PARM, PREL, VT, CDG, UNDC, UNGA 
SUBJECT: VATICAN MAINTAINS MULTILATERAL FOCUS ON 
DISARMAMENT ISSUES 
 
REF: A) STATE 217408; B) VATICAN 3809 
 
1.  (SBU) CHARGE AND POLOFF REVIEWED THE USG APPROACH TO 
    DISARMAMENT FOR THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (UNGA) (REF A) WITH 
HOLY SEE OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR DISARMAMENT PAOLO CONVERSI 
AUGUST 28, FOLLOWING UP OUR DISCUSSION WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN 
MINISTER PAROLIN (REF B).  CONVERSI ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE 
ROTE ADOPTION OF OUTMODED RESOLUTIONS YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND 
THE CONTINUATION OF RESOLUTIONS WITH ORIGINS IN THE COLD 
WAR HAD HINDERED THE FIRST COMMITTEE'S EFFECTIVENESS. 
NEVERTHELESS, CONVERSI DID NOT FULLY ACCEPT THAT A MAJOR 
CHANGE OF APPROACH ON DISARMAMENT WAS NEEDED THIS FALL. 
 
2. (SBU) CONVERSI EMPHASIZED THE HOLY SEE'S COMMITMENT TO A 
MULTILATERAL APPROACH ON DISARMAMENT, AND ITS BELIEF THAT 
THE VARIOUS MULTILATERAL ARMS CONTROL FORA STILL HAD AN 
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY, DESPITE THEIR WEAKNESSES.  CHARGE 
NOTED THE USG'S OWN COMMITMENT TO MULTILATERALISM IN 
DISARMAMENT ISSUES, BUT NOTED THAT THIS HAD TO BE MATCHED 
BY A MULTILATERAL FOCUS THAT WAS BETTER GEARED TO TODAY'S 
THREATS.  HE THEREFORE ENCOURAGED THE HOLY SEE TO BE OPEN 
TO EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A NEW, MORE EFFECTIVE MULTILATERALISM 
WITHIN THE FIRST COMMITTEE THIS FALL. 
 
HARDT 
 
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 2003VATICA03958 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED