US embassy cable - 01VATICAN1465

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE) 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 42/01 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/11 
TAGS: PHUM, VT, UNHCR-1 
SUBJECT:  VATICAN PLANNING ACTIVE STRATEGY ON HUMAN RIGHTS. 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CDA A.I. JOSEPH MERANTE, REASON E.O. 12958 
1.5 (B) AND(D). 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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REF: STATE 44405 
 
1.  (C) POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO MSGR. LEO 
BOCCARDI, VATICAN MFA DESK OFFICER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON 
MARCH 15.  MSGR. BOCCARDI REVIEWED THE POINTS FOR THE 57TH 
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS ENTHUSIASTICALLY.  HE CLAIMED 
NOTABLE CONGRUENCE BETWEEN MANY VATICAN AND USG POSITIONS, 
PARTICULARLY ON THE CERD (COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF 
ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION) PROCESS, UNDERLINING 
THE RISK OF INFRINGEMENT ON THE JUDICIAL SOVEREIGNTY OF 
SIGNATORIES.  MSGR. BOCCARDI ENDORSED THE WORLD CONFERENCE 
AGAINST RACISM (WCAR) TO BE HELD IN DURBAN, OUTLINING A 
PROACTIVE VATICAN STRATEGY IN THE LEAD-UP TO THE 
CONFERENCE. 
 
2.  (C) VATICAN STRATEGY IN THE RUN-UP TO WCAR WILL FEATURE 
PROMINENT PAPAL CONDEMNATIONS OF RACISM.  THE VATICAN WCAR 
PROGRAM WILL SEEK TO COMBAT RACISM THROUGH A) EDUCATION, 
THROUGH WORKSHOPS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS; B) INCREASED INTER- 
RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE; AND C) AN AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE OF 
MINORITY GROUPS, WITH THE VATICAN PLEDGING TO PRESSURE 
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS TO SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS OF THE ROMA 
MINORITY IN PARTICULAR. 
 
3.  (C) MSGR. BOCCARDI CONCURRED WITH USG CONCERN THAT 
REGIONAL BLOCS MAY FRUSTRATE CONSENSUS ON CRUCIAL POINTS. 
HE REFERRED TO A RECENT PROCLAMATION IN TEHRAN BY MUSLIM 
MIDDLE EASTERN GOVERNMENTS THAT PALESTINE WAS BY DEFINITION 
A MUSLIM NATION, AN ASSERTION THE VATICAN DEEMED 
UNACCEPTABLE.  HE WARNED OF A POSSIBLE EFFORT AT THE WCAR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  01465  161145Z 
TO PORTRAY PALESTINIAN HARDSHIPS AS RACIST (ANTI- 
ARABIC/SEMITIC) IN ORIGIN. 
 
4.  (C) MSGR. BOCCARDI WARNED OF POSSIBLE VATICAN CONFLICT 
AT DURBAN IF AN EFFORT WERE MADE TO ENSHRINE SEXUAL 
ORIENTATION AS GROUNDS FOR DEFINITION OF A RACIAL MINORITY. 
MSGR. BOCCARDI DECLARED THE VATICAN COULD ENDORSE LANGUAGE 
ABHORRING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF QUOTE SEX OR 
GENDER ENDQUOTE; HOWEVER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS SUCH WAS AN 
UNACCEPTABLE CATEGORY FOR THE VATICAN.  ACCORDING TO MSGR. 
BOCCARDI, THIS DEBATE WAS ADVANCED BY THE BRAZILIAN 
DELEGATION AT A PREVIOUS CONFERENCE IN SANTIAGO.  MSGR. 
BOCCARDI WAS CAREFUL NOT TO CRITICIZE USG POSITIONS. 
FURTHERMORE, HE VIGOROUSLY CONDEMNED DISCRIMINATION AND 
VIOLENCE TOWARD LESBIAN OR GAY PERSONS.     MERANTE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2001VATICA01465 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL