US embassy cable - 02VATICAN126

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2007 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, AN, VT 
SUBJECT: MORE FROM ZUPPI ON UNITA CEASEFIRE 
 
REF: A) 01 VATICAN 4030 B) VATICAN 0057 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF GEORGE FROWICK, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D) 
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 1.  (C)  SANT'EGIDIO AFRICA EXPERT AND SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR 
DON MATTEO ZUPPI TOLD CHARGE 01/08 THAT HE HAD SPOKEN AGAIN 
WITH UNITA ROME REP COSTA ABOUT HIS PROPOSED THREE-MONTH 
UNITA CEASEFIRE (REFTELS).  ZUPPI SAID THAT COSTA HAD CALLED 
HIM THE PREVIOUS EVENING TO REPORT SAVIMBI'S RESPONSE THAT 
UNITA WAS NOT CURRENTLY IN A POSITION TO PROPOSE A CEASEFIRE 
BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER "FAIRLY SERIOUS" ATTACK FROM GOS FORCES. 
 ZUPPI WAS GRATIFIED THAT SAVIMBI HAD NOT REJECTED THE NOTION 
OUT OF HAND, AND TOLD COSTA HE WAS AVAILABLE TO TALK TO 
SAVIMBI AT HIS CONVENIENCE (NOTE: ZUPPI SAID HE AND SAVIMBI 
HAVE EACH OTHER'S CELL/SATELLITE PHONE NUMBERS, BUT ZUPPI 
NEVER CALLS SAVIMBI DIRECTLY.) 
 
2.  (C)  ZUPPI TOLD US HE SUGGESTED TO COSTA THAT SINCE A 
CHRISTMAS CEASEFIRE WAS OBE, UNITA SHOULD CONSIDER PROPOSING 
A CEASEFIRE TO COINCIDE WITH THE POPE'S JANUARY 25, 2002, DAY 
OF PRAYER FOR PEACE IN ASSISI.  (NOTE: THE POPE HAS INVITED 
ABOUT 300 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO THIS, THE SECOND 
DAY OF ECUMENICAL PRAYER FOR PEACE SINCE 1986, IN RESPONSE TO 
THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS AND THE THREAT TO ECUMENISM FROM A 
PERCEIVED CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS.)  ZUPPI BELIEVES THAT THIS 
MEETING WILL BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO GARNER SUBSTANTIAL 
INTERNATIONAL PRESS ATTENTION AND THUS WOULD PROVIDE A GOOD 
OPPORTUNITY TO UNITA TO OFFER THE GOS AND THE WORLD A STRONG 
SIGNAL OF ITS SERIOUSNESS AT OPENING A SEARCH FOR PEACE. 
ZUPPI ALSO CLARIFIED THAT IN HIS TALKS WITH SAVIMBI AND 
COSTA, THEY HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LUSAKA PROCESS WAS 
MORIBUND BUT NOT YET DEAD AND THAT ANY UNITA/GOS TALKS WOULD 
HAVE TO PICK UP WHERE THE LAST LUSAKA DISCUSSIONS LEFT OFF. 
MERANTE 
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 2002VATICA00126 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL