US embassy cable - 01VATICAN5095

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005095 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), S FOR CRAIG KELLY 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 164/01 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/26/11 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, VT, terrorism 
SUBJECT: TFUS01: VATICAN POSITION ON RETALIATION AGAINST 
TERRORISTS 
 
REF: (99) ROME 2196 
 
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(U) CLASSIFIED BY DCM MERANTE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.Q(U) REFTEL OUTLINES THE VATICAN'S JUST WAR DOCTRINE AND 
ITS APPLICATION TO RECENT CONFLICTS. 
 
2.   (U) SEVERAL OPINIONS ON ITS APPLICATION TO THE 
SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES HAVE 
EMERGED FROM SENIOR VATICAN CIRCLES IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. 
PAPAL SPOKESMAN JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS MADE INTERNATIONAL 
HEADLINES WHEN HE SEEMED TO DECLARE "AGGRESSIVE" MEANS AS 
JUSTIFIABLE SELF-DEFENSE. NAVARRO-VALLS LATER ISSUED A 
CLARIFICATION SAYING HE WAS MERELY STATING STANDARD VATICAN 
DOCTRINE. WHILE POPE JOHN PAUL II CONTINUES TO CALL FOR 
DIALOGUE AND PROMOTES PEACEFUL METHODS OF CONFLICT 
RESOLUTION, SOME OF HIS SENIOR ADVISORS HAVE TAKEN A FIRMER 
POSITION. ECUMENICAL DIALOGUE CHIEF CARDINAL WALTER KASPER 
SAID SEPTEMBER 25 THAT "IT WAS NECESSARY TO BLOCK THE 
TERRORISTS SO THEY CANNOT CONTINUE WITH THEIR CRIMES." 
KASPER ADDED THAT INTERVENTION WAS "NECESSARY, OTHERWISE WE 
ALL BECOME HOSTAGES."  NUMBER THREE IN THE VATICAN 
GOVERNMENT HIERARCHY, ARCHBISHOP LEONARDO SANDRI, DESCRIBED 
TERRORISM AS A THREAT TO ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST TO THE UNITED 
STATES. 
 
3. (C) THE BOUNDARIES OF THE VATICAN'S JUST WAR THEORY ARE 
SOMEWHAT BLURRED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE WAR ON 
TERRORISM. GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR A MILITARY RESPONSE VARY 
FROM THEOLOGIAN TO THEOLOGIAN EVEN WITHIN THE VATICAN 
GOVERNMENT. NO ONE IN THE VATICAN IS LIKELY TO PUBLICLY 
CONDONE MILITARY ACTION. THE EMPHASIS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE 
POPE, WILL ALWAYS BE ON PEACEFUL MEANS NO MATTER HOW 
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DESPERATE THE SITUATION. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE GRAVITY OF THE 
ATTACKS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, SOME LIMITED AND PRECISE 
FORM OF MILITARY RESPONSE THAT ALSO SAFEGUARDS THE INNOCENT 
WILL BE "UNDERSTOOD" BY THE VATICAN EVEN IF NOT OPENLY 
SANCTIONED. 
 
4. (C) HOWEVER, UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR POSSIBLE U.S. 
MILITARY ACTION IS NOT UNANIMOUS IN THE VATICAN AND WOULD 
NOT BE.  EMBASSY HAS LEARNED THAT DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER 
(WHO IS NOTED FOR HIS PRO AMERICAN POSITIONS) HAS SAID 
PRIVATELY THAT NAVARRO-VALLES WENT "TOO FAR" IN HIS 
STATEMENTS.  YET, FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN IN PRIVATE 
CONVERSATION WITH AMBASSADOR RECENTLY HAS IMPLIED A 
RESIGNATION THAT HE BELIEVES THE U.S. WILL BE TAKING 
MILITARY ACTION SOON.  ALTHOUGH MOST MEMBERS OF THE VATICAN 
FOREIGN MINISTRY WOULD BE PERSONALLY SUPPORTIVE OF 
AGGRESSIVE RETALIATION, OFFICIAL VATICAN POSITIONS WILL BE 
BASED ON VATICAN GEO-POLITICAL CONCERNS.  IN THIS SPECIFIC 
CONFLICT, IRAQ IS FOREMOST IN THEIR CALCULATIONS.  ANY 
RETALIATION WHICH MIGHT INCLUDE IRAQ WOULD LESSEN THE 
VATICAN'S POSITIVE NEUTRALITY.  THE VATICAN IS FIRMLY 
CONVINCED THAT ANY REGIME WHICH REPLACES THE CURRENT ONE 
WILL NOT BE AS SUPPORTIVE OF THE LARGE IRAQI CATHOLIC 
POPULATION.  IN ADDITION, EVEN IF POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION 
IS DIRECTED ONLY AGAINST AFGHANISTAN, THE VATICAN IS GREATLY 
CONCERNED WITH A BACKLASH AGAINST CATHOLICS (AND OTHER 
CHRISTIANS) LIVING IN EGYPT, SYRIA, IRAQ, PALESTINIAN 
TERRITORIES, AND LEBANON. 
 
5. (C) COMMENT: THE VATICAN'S POSITION ON THE USE OF FORCE 
IN RETALIATION WILL BE CRITICAL IN BUILDING WORLDWIDE PUBLIC 
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SUPPORT.  POST REQUESTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT REMAIN SENSITIVE 
TO THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE VATICAN INFORMED IN ORDER 
TO AVOID ANY SURPRISES AND THUS HARMFUL STATEMENTS ON THE 
PART OF VATICAN OFFICIALS.  A PHONE CALL BY SECRETARY POWELL 
TO VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN BEFORE THE UNDERTAKING OF 
ANY MILITARY ACTION WOULD HELP IN FIRMING UP VATICAN 
SUPPORT. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2001VATICA05095 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL