US embassy cable - 02VATICAN173

UNCLAS VATICAN 000173 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), IO/UNP 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 006/02 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: PREL, VT, UN 
SUBJECT: SANT'EGIDIO WANTS VOTE ON ITS ECOSOC CANDIDACY 
 
 
1.   (SBU) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE.  SANT'EGIDIO 
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SPECIALIST MARIO GIRO CALLED DCM 
01/10 TO SEEK USG SUPPORT IN FORWARDING THE SANT'EGIDIO 
CANDIDACY TO BE AN OBSERVER NGO AT THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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COMMITTEE OF THE UN (ECOSOC).  GIRO EXPLAINED THAT 
SANT'EGIDIO BELIEVES IT HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE GREAT 
MAJORITY OF COUNTRIES SITTING ON THE "NGO COMMISSION" OF THE 
ECOSOC, INCLUDING OF THE UNITED STATES.  GIRO AVERRED THAT 
ALGERIA OBJECTS TO THE SANT'EGIDIO CANDIDACY, AND HAS 
SUCCESSFULLY USED PARLIAMENTARY MANEUVERS TO POSTPONE THE 
VOTE. GIRO SOUGHT SUPPORT FROM THE US DEL FOR MOVING THE 
SANT'EGIDIO CANDIDACY TO A VOTE DURING THE UPCOMING SESSION 
OF THE "NGO COMMISSION" STARTING 01/14/02.  IF THEIR 
CANDIDACY WERE TO BE BROUGHT TO A VOTE, GIRO WAS CONFIDENT 
SANT'EGIDIO WOULD PREVAIL. 
 
2.  (SBU) IN A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH MONS. DOMINIQUE 
MAMBERTI, THE HOLY SEE DESK OFFICER WHO COVERS UN ISSUES, 
POLOFF ASKED WHETHER THIS CANDIDACY IS ON THE HOLY SEE'S 
RADAR SCREEN.  MAMBERTI WAS FAMILIAR WITH SANT'EGIDIO'S 
PROBLEMS IN ALGERIA, BUT KNOW OF NO OBJECTIONS TO ITS ECOSOC 
CANDIDACY IN THE HOLY SEE.  AFTER ALL, HE SAID, "THEY ARE 
NOT SEEKING A PLACE ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL!" 
 
3.  (SBU) COMMENT: SANT'EGIDIO IS A RELIABLE INTERLOCUTOR OF 
THIS EMBASSY, AND ONE WHICH WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH IN 
AREAS AS DIVERSE AS FUNDING ITS INTER-COMMUNAL EDUCATION 
EFFORTS IN KOSOVO AND SUPPORTING ITS EFFORTS A MEDIATING 
PEACE IN MOZAMBIQUE.  WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH 
SANT'EGIDIO TO SEE WHETHER THEY MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE IN 
SUDAN.  WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT SANT'EGIDIO HAS NEVER MADE 
A FALSE STEP -- ALGERIA BEING A CASE IN POINT.  IN THE MID- 
1990S SANT'EGIDIO GOT INTO HOT WATER IN ALGERIA BY 
ORGANIZING A MEETING WITH ALGERIAN OPPOSITION WITHOUT 
COORDINATING ITS "BOOTLEG DIPLOMACY" EITHER WITH THE GOA OR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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THE HOLY SEE. BOTH REACTED NEGATIVELY, AND THE GOA SEEMS 
STILL TO WISH TO PUNISH SANT'EGIDIO.  NEVERTHELESS, FROM 
WHERE WE SIT THE GROUP HAS DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK; CLEARLY 
IT CAN CONTRIBUTE IN A POSITIVE FASHION TO THE WORK OF THE 
ECOSOC AND WE ENDORSE ITS CANDIDACY. 
 
4.  (SBU) ACTION REQUESTED:  PLEASE PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON HOW 
TO RESPOND TO SANT'EGIDIO'S REQUEST. 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002VATICA00173 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED