US embassy cable - 02VATICAN784

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000784 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR: EUR (BRADKE), EUR/WE (MENNUTI, KILNER); EB 
(GADSDEN), AF (KANSTEINER) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KWMN, VT, Human Trafficking, Biotechnology 
SUBJECT: BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT JANUARY 14-25, 2002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, 
REASON E.O. 1295 8 1.5 (B,D). 
 
 1.  (C)  THIS CABLE REPORTS ON EMBASSY VATICAN'S BIWEEKLY 
ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 14, 2002.  IT 
IS INTENDED TO SUMMARIZE, BUT NOT EXHAUSTIVELY REPORT, OUR 
ACTIVITIES DURING THE PREVIOUS TWO WEEKS.  COVERED IN THIS 
CABLE ARE: 
 
-- AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COMMERCIAL ADVOCACY WITH ACOUSTIGUIDES 
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-- AMBASSADOR TALKS ZIMBABWE BACK-CHANNEL WITH JESUITS FOR AF 
A/S 
-- EMBASSY MEETINGS ON OUR PROPOSED ANTI-TRAFFICKING 
CONFERENCE 
-- POLOFFS DISCUSS BIOTECH APPROACH TO VATICAN WITH EMBASSY 
COLLEAGUES 
-- AMBASSADOR AT HOSTS DINNER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERT PRAKASH 
-- REPORTING ON: ASSISI DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE, U.S.-VATICAN 
BILATERAL ISSUES, COLOMBIA PEACE, POPE'S BULGARIA TRIP, 
EMBASSY VATICAN ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE, CHINESE 
CATHOLICS REPRESSED, UN ANTI-CLONING CONVENTION. 
 
2.  (U) AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COMMERCIAL ADVOCACY WITH 
ACOUSTIGUIDES: AMBASSADOR AND POLOFF MET 01/30 WITH 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE U.S. COMPANY ACOUSTIGUIDES ABOUT 
POSSIBLE COMMERCIAL ADVOCACY TO PLACE THEIR GUIDES IN THE 
VATICAN MUSEUMS.  WE REFERRED THEM TO DEPT OF COMMERCE FOR 
FORMAL ADVOCACY REQUEST; POLOFF, WITH FCS ROME AUTHORIZATION, 
ACCOMPANIED THEM TO THEIR PRESENTATION TO VATICAN MUSEUM 
OFFICIALS. 
 
3. (C) AMBASSADOR TALKS ZIMBABWE BACK-CHANNEL WITH JESUITS 
FOR AF A/S:  AMBASSADOR 02/01 AT BEHEST OF A/S KANSTEINER 
EXPLORED INTEREST IN ESTABLISHING POSSIBLE BACK-CHANNEL 
COMMUNICATION WITH ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT MUGABE ON ACCOUNT OF 
MUGABE'S JESUIT EDUCATION. 
 
4. (U) EMBASSY MEETINGS ON OUR PROPOSED ANTI-TRAFFICKING 
CONFERENCE: VATICAN 700 REPORTS OUR EFFORTS, UP TO FEBRUARY 
11, TO ORGANIZE A MAY, 2002 CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS 
DIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEM OF TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS. 
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SINCE FEB. 11 WE HAVE SURVEYED THE SPACE OFFERED BY THE 
PONTIFICAL GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY AND MADE PROGRESS SECURING 
FUNDING FOR THE CONFERENCE FROM OTHER HOLY SEE ACCREDITED 
EMBASSIES. DCM ALSO HOSTED LUNCH WITH KEY EUROPEAN DCMS, WHO 
AGREED TO NOMINATE SPEAKER CANDIDATES ASAP. 
 
5. (SBU) POLOFFS DISCUSS BIOTECH APPROACH TO VATICAN WITH 
EMBASSY COUNTERPARTS: POLOFFS HOSTED 02/08 LUNCH WITH 
COUNTERPARTS FROM ARGENTINA, TAIWAN, AND INDONESIA EMBASSIES 
TO THE HOLY SEE TO DISCUSS OPENING DIALOGUE WITH VATICAN ON 
BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE.  ALL WERE 
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE IDEA, BELIEVING THAT THE VATICAN CAN 
MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF 
BIOTECH. 
 
6. (U) AMBASSADOR AT HOSTS DINNER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERT 
PRAKASH: AMBASSADOR HOSTED DINNER EVENING OF 2/14 FOR 
VISITING BIOTECH EXPERT DR. C.S. PRAKASH.  DINNER EXPOSED 
SENIOR VATICAN DECISION-MAKERS INCLUDING FM TAURAN AND 
CARDINAL SCHOTTE (OF GENERAL SYNOD OF BISHOPS) TO THE "GOOD 
NEWS" ON BIOTECH. 
 
7. (C)  EMBASSY REPORTING: DURING THE PERIOD EMBASSY REPORTED 
ON: THE POPE'S EXCEPTIONAL INTER-RELIGIOUS DAY OF PRAYER FOR 
PEACE AT ASSISI (VATICAN 521), U.S.-VATICAN BILATERAL ISSUES 
(VATICAN 495), COLOMBIA PEACE (VATICAN 578), POPE'S BULGARIA 
TRIP AND OUTREACH TO THE ORTHODOX (VATICAN 561), EMBASSY 
VATICAN ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE UPDATE (VATICAN 700), 
CHINESE CATHOLICS REPRESSED (VATICAN 579),  UN ANTI-CLONING 
CONVENTION (VATICAN 699). 
NICHOLSON 
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 2002VATICA00784 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL