US embassy cable - 01VATICAN3149

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE) 
 
EMBASSY VATICAN MESSAGE NO. 89/001 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06//12/11 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, XF, VT 
SUBJECT: BACKGROUND PAPER FOR PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: MEPP 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5 
(B), (D). 
 
1.  (C)  BELOW IS DRAFT EMBASSY VATICAN BACKGROUND PAPER 
FOR POSSIBLE VISIT BY PRESIDENT BUSH TO THE VATICAN. 
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THE VATICAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 
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2.  (C)  THE VATICAN'S POSITION ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE 
PROCESS HAS EVOLVED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST THREE 
YEARS.  FOR MANY YEARS, THE VATICAN CALLED FOR THE 
"INTERNATIONALIZATION" OF JERUSALEM, BUT IN THE LATE '90'S 
THE POSITION CHANGED TO THE "INTERNATIONALIZATION" OF 
JERUSALEM "INTRAMURA" (WITHIN THE WALLS).  MOST RECENTLY, 
ON THE ISSUE OF JERUSALEM THE VATICAN MOVED SUBSTANTIALLY 
IN A DIRECTION WHICH CAN BE SEEN AS CONSTRUCTIVE.  IT HAS 
DROPPED THE CALL FOR INTERNATIONALIZING ANY PART OF 
JERUSALEM AND IS NOW ASKING THAT THE SHRINES OF THE THREE 
RELIGIONS PRESERVE THEIR UNIQUE AND SACRED CHARACTER 
THROUGH "INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEES", IN SUCH A WAY THAT IN 
THE FUTURE "NONE OF THE PARTIES WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM FOR 
ITSELF EXCLUSIVE CONTROL OF THESE SACRED PARTS OF THE 
CITY".  SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE CITY WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE 
ISRAELIS AND THE PALESTINIANS TO NEGOTIATE. 
 
3.  (C)  DESPITE A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE STAND ON THE FUTURE OF 
JERUSALEM, THE VATICAN'S TILT TOWARD THE PALESTINIAN SIDE 
OF THE CONFLICT HAS BEEN MORE EVIDENT IN THE WAKE OF THE 
MOST RECENT VIOLENCE.  THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE 
EXPLANATIONS TO THE INCREASE IN OVERT SYMPATHY FOR THE 
PALESTINIAN CAUSE.  IT REFLECTS IN LARGE PART THE VATICAN'S 
NEED TO MIND THE INTERESTS OF THE PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS. 
ONE OF THE VATICAN'S WORST FEARS IS A JERUSALEM DEVOID OF 
CHRISTIANS.  THE VATICAN HAS BEEN ALSO TELLING EMBASSY 
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VATICAN THAT IT BELIEVES IT NEEDS TO SHORE UP YASSIR 
ARAFAT, AS IT IS CONCERNED WITH WHAT DIRECTION THE 
PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT WILL TAKE AFTER ARAFAT LEAVES THE 
SCENE (I.E. ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM).  THE PERCEIVED TILT 
MAY ALSO REFLECT RESIDUAL ANTI-SEMITIC ATTITUDES THAT STILL 
EXIST AMONG SOME WITHIN THE VATICAN.  FINALLY, IT COULD 
ALSO BE THE RESULT OF POLITICAL MANEUVERING BY PRIME 
MINISTER SODANO AS HE ORGANIZES HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE 
PAPACY.  A PRO-PALESTINIAN STANCE IS POPULAR AMONG 
CARDINALS FROM THE THIRD WORLD. 
MERANTE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2001VATICA03149 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL