US embassy cable - 04VATICAN4735

UNCLAS VATICAN 004735 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (Levin); NEA/NGA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, IZ, VT, religious freedom 
SUBJECT: IRAQI FM PROMISES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR CHRISTIANS 
 
 
1.(U) Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari expressed his thanks to 
Pope John Paul II for the Holy See's support for Iraq and 
pledged religious freedom from the country's new government 
during a December 13 meeting at the Vatican.  Zebari later 
met with Vatican Secretary of State (PM eqQivalent) Angelo 
Sodano and Foreign Ministry officials.  According to the 
Vatican, the discussions focused on the current situation 
in Iraq and the broader Middle East. 
 
2.  (U) Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-VQlls said Zebari 
assured the Pope of his govermentmote 
religious Qly, to defend Ch2 The Vatican has previouncern 
over recent attaolic and other ChristiQn Iraq, most reQosut`hre was no quest government hhng the 
security situand the safety of 
Christ The problem is that they @o guarantee anyone's saa was positive about Zs credentials and noted 
that he and former Vatican Foreign Minister Tauran had met 
him some time ago.  "His success or failure, however, does 
not depend solely on him," Coppola concluded. 
 
4.(U) Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Zebari 
said Pope John Paul II's moral authority could contribute 
enormously to creating peace in Iraq, and that Christian 
and Muslims had lived together harmoniously for centuries. 
 
5.(SBU) Comment:  Zebari is the second high-level member 
of the interim Iraqi government to visit the Pope - 
following on the heels of PM Allawi's November visit.  The 
Holy See will continue to lobby hard for guarantees for 
religious freedom in the new Iraq while promising the 
active cooperation of the Vatican and local Catholic 
communities in reconstruction and stabilization efforts. 
End comment. 
 
Nicholson 
n