US embassy cable - 01VATICAN5960

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005960 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/PAB (PASI), EUR/WE (D.MENNUTI), S/P (VAN CLEVE) 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 201/01 
 
E.O. 12958:DECL:11/13/11 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, AF, PK, IN, VT 
SUBJECT:  PROGRESS OF WAR EFFORT REASSURES A WORRIED 
VATICAN. 
 
REF A:  VATICAN 05286; REF B: VATICAN 05546 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) 
AND (D). 
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1.  (C) SUMMARY: VATICAN CRITICISM OF THE WAR EFFORT IS NOW 
LESS LIKELY, ACCORDING TO THE VATICAN AFGHANISTAN DESK 
OFFICER, SINCE ADVANCES BY THE U.S.-LED COALITION 
FACILITATE A MORE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO AFGHANISTAN'S 
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS THAN ANTICIPATED. THE VATICAN HOWEVER 
JUDGES ISLAMABAD AN UNRELIABLE COALITION PLAYER AND 
DISTRUSTS MUSHARRAF.  POST RECOMMENDS DEPARTMENT EXPLORE 
MEANS TO ENGAGE THE VATICAN IN HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN 
AFGHANISTAN IN ORDER TO REINFORCE TACIT VATICAN SUPPORT FOR 
U.S. POLICY GOALS IN AFGHANISTAN.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN HAVE CHECKED 
MOUNTING VATICAN MISGIVINGS AT THE WAR EFFORT (REF. A), 
AFGHANISTAN DESK OFFICER MONSIGNOR LUIS MONTEMAYOR TOLD 
POLOFF IN AN 11/14 MEETING.  A NEGATIVE VATICAN OR PAPAL 
STATEMENT IS NOW EVEN LESS LIKELY, HE SAID, SINCE THE 
TERRITORIAL ADVANCES OF THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE WOULD 
FACILITATE THE RETURN OF NGOS TO AFGHANISTAN AND THE 
DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN AID. 
 
3.  (C) MONTEMAYOR ALSO INFORMED POLOFF THE THREE NUNS IN 
KABUL WERE WELL (REF. B) AS OF 11/4. THE NUNS, MEMBERS OF 
THE LITTLE SISTERS OF JESUS, WERE ASSISTING AT THE INDIRA 
GANDHI HOSPITAL (STILL FUNCTIONING, IF UNOFFICIALLY, HE 
ADDED) AND AT THE ALI ABAD CLINIC. 
 
4.  (C) MONTEMAYOR EXPRESSED PERSONAL SATISFACTION AT THE 
PROGRESS OF THE U.S.-LED CAMPAIGN HOWEVER HE REITERATED THE 
VATICAN'S HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS.  HE VOICED SKEPTICISM THAT 
AFGHAN TRIBAL LEADERS, IN PARTICULAR THOSE OF THE NORTHERN 
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ALLIANCE, COULD PRODUCE A FUNCTIONING AND EQUITABLE 
GOVERNMENT.  THE VATICAN WAS CLOSELY TRACKING ALLEGATIONS 
OF ATROCITIES IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF AND HEART, HE SAID, ADDING 
THAT THE CURRENT MILITARY ACTION RISKED DEGRADING INTO 
TRIBAL VENDETTA BY OTHER MEANS. 
 
5.  (C) PAKISTAN, MONTEMAYOR STATED, REMAINS A NATION OF 
GRAVE CONCERN, BOTH IN REGARD TO THE PLIGHT OF ITS ONE 
MILLION CATHOLICS, WHICH THE VATICAN CONSIDERS OPPRESSED, 
AND IN TERMS OF ITS OVERALL STABILITY. MONTEMAYOR MADE 
CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN THE VATICAN AND 
MUSHARRAF.  IN A LATE OCTOBER VISIT TO ISLAMABAD BY 
ARCHBISHOP PAUL CORDES, HEAD OF COR UNUM, THE VATICAN'S 
UMBRELLA AID ARM, CONTACT WITH MUSHARRAF AND THE GOP WAS 
KEPT TO A MINIMUM.  MONTEMAYOR REMARKED THAT INITIALLY 
PAKISTAN'S BISHOPS HAD CAUTIOUSLY WELCOMED MUSHARRAF'S COUP 
IN THE HOPE THAT HE WOULD EASE ANTI-BLASPHEMY LAWS 
FREQUENTLY EMPLOYED TO KEEP RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN CHECK. 
MUSHARRAF HOWEVER WAS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO CHALLENGE 
ISLAMIC RADICALS AND THE CONDITIONS OF PAKISTAN'S CATHOLICS 
WORSENED.  THE VATICAN STRONGLY DOUBTS REPORTS OF A SEA 
CHANGE IN MUSHARRAF'S POLITICS.  MONTEMAYOR SUGGESTED THAT 
IF BIN LADEN FINDS REFUGE IN BALUCHISTAN, THE U.S. WOULD 
FIND MUSHARRAF HARD PUT TO DELIVER ON HIS PLEDGES. 
 
6.  (C) COMMENT:  THE SECRETARY'S CALL TO TAURAN HAS 
STRENGTHENED THE VATICAN MFA SUPPORT OF THE U.S.-LED WAR 
EFFORT.  NEVERTHELESS, IN OTHER VATICAN QUARTERS -- 
MONTEMAYOR REFERRED TO AN INTERNAL "HUMANITARIAN LOBBY" -- 
PATIENCE WITH THE U.S.-LED WAR EFFORT HAD BEEN WEARING 
THIN.  HOWEVER, THE LATEST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN 
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AFGHANISTAN HAVE UNDERCUT THOSE WHO WERE URGING THE VATICAN 
OPPOSE THE WAR EFFORT.  THE DEPARTMENT CAN REINFORCE ITS 
SUPPORTERS WITHIN THE VATICAN BY SHARING ITS VIEWS ON THE 
ADMINISTRATION OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.  U.S. INCLUSION 
OF COR UNUM (AND CARITAS, A RELATED RELIEF ARM) WOULD HELP 
ELEVATE THE VATICAN TO THE RANK OF A COALITION PARTNER IN 
THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR EFFORTS. 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2001VATICA05960 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL