US embassy cable - 01VATICAN4755

UNCLAS VATICAN 004755 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE(MENNUTI), PD/PA/EUR (HILTON) 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 151/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, VT 
SUBJECT: POPE AND VATICAN STAND WITH UNITED STATES 
 
1.   POPE JOHN PAUL II CONDEMNED THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST 
ATTACKS AGAINST U.S. TARGETS USING SOME OF THE STRONGEST 
LANGUAGE EVER HEARD BY POST STAFF. IN HIS SEPTEMBER 12 
GENERAL AUDIENCE IN VATICAN CITY, THE POPE, BREAKING WITH 
TRADITION, SPOKE SOLELY IN ENGLISH AND ITALIAN. THE USUALLY 
FESTIVE OCCASION OF THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS AND TOURISTS 
CHANTING AND WAVING NATIONAL FLAG WAS TURNED INTO A SOLEMN 
MOMENT OF REFLECTION AND SOLIDARITY WITH THE AMERICAN 
PEOPLE. 
 
2.   VATICAN TRANSLATION OF POPE'S REMARKS IN ITALIAN 
FOLLOWS. 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
I CANNOT BEGIN THIS AUDIENCE WITHOUT EXPRESSING MY PROFOUND 
SORROW AT THE TERRORIST ATTACKS WHICH YESTERDAY BROUGHT 
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TO AMERICA, CAUSING THOUSANDS OF 
VICTIMS AND INJURING COUNTLESS PEOPLE. TO THE PRESIDENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES AND TO ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS I EXPRESS MY 
HEARTFELT SORROW. IN THE FACE OF SUCH UNSPEAKABLE HORROR WE 
CANNOT BUT BE DEEPLY DISTURBED. I ADD MY VOICE TO ALL THE 
VOICES RAISED IN THESE HOURS TO EXPRESS INDIGNANT 
CONDEMNATION, AND I STRONGLY REITERATE THAT THE WAYS OF 
VIOLENCE WILL NEVER LEAD TO GENUINE SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITY'S 
PROBLEMS. YESTERDAY WAS A DARK DAY IN THE HISTORY OF 
HUMANITY, A TERRIBLE AFFRONT TO HUMAN DIGNITY. AFTER 
RECEIVING THE NEWS, I FOLLOWED WITH INTENSE CONCERN THE 
DEVELOPING SITUATION, WITH HEARTFELT PRAYERS TO THE LORD. 
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO COMMIT ACTS OF SUCH SAVAGE CRUELTY? 
THE HUMAN HEART HAS DEPTHS FROM WHICH SCHEMES OF UNHEARD-OF 
FEROCITY SOMETIMES EMERGE, CAPABLE OF DESTROYING IN A MOMENT 
THE NORMAL DAILY LIFE OF A PEOPLE. BUT FAITH COMES TO OUR 
AID AT THESE TIMES WHEN WORDS SEEM TO FAIL. CHRIST'S WORD IS 
THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN GIVE A RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS WHICH 
TROUBLE OUR SPIRIT. EVEN IF THE FORCES OF DARKNESS APPEAR TO 
PREVAIL, THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN GOD KNOW THAT EVIL AND DEATH 
DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL SAY. CHRISTIAN HOPE IS BASED ON THIS 
TRUTH; AT THIS TIME OUR PRAYERFUL TRUST DRAWS STRENGTH FROM 
IT. WITH DEEPLY FELT SYMPATHY I ADDRESS MYSELF TO THE 
BELOVED PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN THIS MOMENT OF 
DISTRESS AND CONSTERNATION, WHEN THE COURAGE OF SO MANY MEN 
AND WOMEN OF GOOD WILL IS BEING SORELY TESTED. IN A SPECIAL 
WAY I REACH OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF THE DEAD AND THE INJURED, 
AND ASSURE THEM OF MY SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS. I ENTRUST TO THE 
MERCY OF THE MOST HIGH THE HELPLESS VICTIMS OF THIS TRAGEDY, 
FOR WHOM I OFFERED MASS THIS MORNING, INVOKING UPON THEM 
ETERNAL REST. MAY GOD GIVE COURAGE TO THE SURVIVORS; MAY HE 
SUSTAIN THE RESCUE-WORKERS AND THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE 
PRESENTLY MAKING AN ENORMOUS EFFORT TO COPE WITH SUCH AN 
IMMENSE EMERGENCY. I ASK YOU, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO 
JOIN ME IN PRAYER FOR THEM. LET US BEG THE LORD THAT THE 
SPIRAL OF HATRED AND VIOLENCE WILL NOT PREVAIL. MAY THE 
BLESSED VIRGIN, MOTHER OF MERCY, FILL THE HEARTS OF ALL WITH 
WISE THOUGHTS AND PEACEFUL INTENTIONS. TODAY, MY HEARTFELT 
SYMPATHY IS WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, SUBJECTED YESTERDAY TO 
INHUMAN TERRORIST ATTACKS WHICH HAVE TAKEN THE LIVES OF 
THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT HUMAN BEINGS AND CAUSED UNSPEAKABLE 
SORROW IN THE HEARTS OF ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF GOOD WILL. 
YESTERDAY WAS INDEED A DARK DAY IN OUR HISTORY, AN APPALLING 
OFFENCE AGAINST PEACE, A TERRIBLE ASSAULT AGAINST HUMAN 
DIGNITY. I INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN ME IN COMMENDING THE 
VICTIMS OF THIS SHOCKING TRAGEDY TO ALMIGHTY GOD' S ETERNAL 
LOVE. LET US IMPLORE HIS COMFORT UPON THE INJURED, THE 
FAMILIES INVOLVED, ALL WHO ARE DOING THEIR UTMOST TO RESCUE 
SURVIVORS AND HELP THOSE AFFECTED. I ASK GOD TO GRANT THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE THEY NEED AT THIS 
TIME OF SORROW AND TRIAL. 
END TEXT. 
 
3.   COMMENT: THE TONE OF THE POPE'S REMARKS AND THE 
MODIFIED GENERAL AUDIENCE INDICATE THE SERIOUSNESS WITH 
WHICH THE VATICAN TAKES THE ISSUE OF TERRORISM AND ITS 
ESTEEM FOR THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF 
AMERICA. THE ATTACKS ON NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON RECEIVED 
BANNER HEADLINES IN THE SEPTEMBER 12 EDITION OF THE 
VATICAN'S DAILY NEWSPAPER, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO. AMBASSADOR 
NICHOLSON WILL RESPOND PERSONALLY TO THE PAPAL EXPRESSION OF 
SOLIDARITY SEPTEMBER 13 WHEN HE PRESENTS HIS CREDENTIALS TO 
POPE JOHN PAUL II. END COMMENT. 
 
NICHOLSON