US embassy cable - 05VATICAN37

C O N F I D E N T I A L  VATICAN 000037 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; DRL/IRF HANFORD, RIGGS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2015 
TAGS: CH, KIRF, PHUM, PINR, PREL, VT, religious freedom 
SUBJECT: IRF AMBASSADOR HANFORD REVIEWS THREATS AND NEXT 
STEPS WITH VATICAN 
 
Classified By: CDA D. Brent Hardt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) During his December 1 - 4 visit to the Vatican, 
Ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom John 
Hanford reviewed U.S. religious freedom concerns and priorities 
with Holy See Foreign Minister Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo 
and other senior officials.  Vatican officials highlighted 
their concerns over the persecution of Christians in China, 
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India and Sudan.  They also 
emphasized the importance of juridical recognition to 
protect churches from government pressure and manipulation, 
specifically in Russia and Vietnam.  Many Vatican concerns 
track with the recently released IRF report, but the Holy 
See urged continued U.S. pressure on countries of concern. 
End Summary. 
 
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Religious Liberty Linked to Other Freedoms 
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2. (C) In a December 3 meeting with the Holy See's 
Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Giovanni 
 
SIPDIS 
Lajolo, Ambassador for International Religious Freedom John 
Hanford emphasized that the U.S. was working to advance religious 
freedom for Catholics and those of other religions wherever 
it is under threat.  The priority the U.S. attaches to this 
issue, Hanford said, is reflected in the expansion in staff 
in the State Department's Office of Religious Freedom, 
which is charged with monitoring problems and advocating 
with countries of concern for greater freedom.  Archbishop 
Lajolo welcomed the U.S. focus on religious freedom, 
observing, "when there is no religious liberty, there is no 
political liberty -- all freedoms are connected." 
 
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China Top Vatican Priority 
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3. (C) Lajolo made clear that China is the Holy See's 
priority religious freedom concern.  He pointed out that 
the Holy See had repeatedly made known to China that they 
had nothing to fear from greater freedom for Catholics. 
He noted that the Chinese often cite Poland as an example 
of how the Church helped topple a communist government, but 
that the two cases were completely different.  The Vatican 
has pointed out that the percentage of Catholics in China 
is minuscule compared to Poland -- 8-30 million in a 
country of well over a billion people -- but this has yet 
to assuage Chinese anxieties. 
 
4. (C) Ambassador Hanford observed that he has devoted 
considerable focus to China and has visited the country 
twice, in each case raising Catholic concerns with various 
Chinese authorities.  Hanford said he has heard a standard 
litany of four reasons why no progress in possible:  Holy 
See relations with Taiwan, the Pope's decision to canonize 
Chinese saints on a sensitive day for the Chinese 
government, the need for a stronger apology from the Pope 
for this decision, and the need for the Holy See to make a 
gesture toward the Chinese government.  Hanford said he 
understood that in regard publicly stated its willingness to shift relations from 
Taiwan to the PRC swiftly should the Chinese open up that 
possibility.  He said he also emphasized to Chinese 
authorities that the Pope's apology for the date of the 
canonization had been strong and was more than might have 
been expected. 
 
5. (C) Lajolo noted that the Vatican receives occasional 
signals from the Chinese that they want to get in touch and 
begin a dialogue with the Embassy in Rome, but they are 
 
 
never sure who they will be dealing with and whether the 
contact would be authorized or could be a trap in which the 
Chinese authorities could accuse the Vatican of trying to 
work through sec ret channels.  Lajolo said the Holy See's 
impression was that attitudes at the top of the Chinese 
hierarchy were more open to contact, but that at the middle 
and lower levels, there was considerably more resistance. 
Ambassador Hanford noted that senior officials with whom he 
had met often displayed a naive view of Christianity and 
the differences among various Christian groups.  Overall, 
Hanford noted that he had been disappointed with the 
Chinese response to the concerns the U.S. had raised. 
Lajolo shared Hanford's disappointment, but said it was the 
Church's responsibility to "try and try again."  In a 
separate meeting, Frank Dewane of the Pontifical Council of 
Justice and Peace noted that the Chinese are aware of the 
presence of Catholic priests in China for professional 
reasons.  For example, Jesuit and Maryknoll professors 
currently serve on Chinese university faculties, and their 
presence offers the Holy See a small window into the country. 
 
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Keeping Pressure on Saudi Arabia 
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6.  (C) Asked about the situation in Saudi Arabia, whose 
inclusion on the list of countries of particular concern 
(CPC) was welcomed by the Holy See, Hanford said the U.S. 
wanted to nudge the government even though they were taking 
some positive steps.  He cited the Saudis' efforts to 
replace school books that described other faiths in 
"horrible" ways.  Hanford noted that he had met with the 
Italian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who was very active in 
working with Catholic communities in Saudi Arabia to 
facilitate private Catholic services.  He said the Saudis 
know Masses are taking place and that there are priests in 
the country; they are willing to tolerate this as long as 
no further effort is made to regularize their presence and 
activities.  Lajolo said he appreciates that the Saudi 
royal family is under pressure, but he belies it is also 
vital for Catholics and other Christians to be able to 
worship without fear in the kingdom. 
 
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Bridging Gaps Between Theory and Practice 
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7. (SBU) In separate meetings with Under-Secretary Frank 
Dewane of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and 
the Vatican-linked Sant,Egidio Community, Hanford was told 
that although the situation in some countries may look 
acceptable on paper, the situation on the ground faced by 
priests and religious communities is frequently much 
worse.  Dewane said he had reviewed the most recent IRF 
report and found that the assessments were not always as 
"crisp" as they could be.  He feared that international 
political pressures came into play in some country 
reports.  He suggested that the Holy See might be more 
critical of certain countries, behavior, particularly 
that of Pakistan and India.  Hanford responded that the U.S. 
strives for complete accuracy and honesty in drafting the 
report and would welcome Vatican information and feedback 
if officials felt the report was at all "whitewashing" a 
country's record. 
 
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"Don't Let Pakistan Off the Hook" 
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8. (C) Using virtually identical language, Monsignor Dewane 
and Sant,Egidio,s Claudio Betti both urged Hanford 
emphatically "not to let Pakistan off the hook."  Citing 
Pakistan's blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians, 
Dewane said many Pakistanis who had been charged under the 
blasphemy ordinances were forced to flee the country in 
 
 
fear of their lives rather than fight the charges in 
Pakistan.  In the broader Middle East, Dewane emphasized 
that the U.S. must recognize the growing flight of 
Christians from the Middle East.  "Parents do not see a 
future for their children there," he said.  Maronite 
(Catholic) Bishop El-Hachem in Lebanon recently told 
Dewane that "soon there'll be no one left." 
Dewane pointed out that it is a human rights violation 
to be driven out of one's country. 
 
While the Holy See continues to have problems in India, he 
said the Vatican views the IRF country report on India as 
encouragement to the new Indian government to go further in 
protecting its religious minorities and continuing the 
repeal of non-conversion laws as was recently seen in Tamil 
Nadu. 
 
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Juridicaaries and 
thus the growth and reach of the church.  Sant'Egidio reps 
pointed to problems in Sudan, where the Community has been 
working for several years to protect churches and 
Christians.  Sant'Egidio's Fabio Riccardi cited two 
instances where his direct appeal to contacts in the 
Sudanese government had saved Christian churches from the 
bull-dozers. 
 
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Comment 
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10.  (C) Ambassador Hanford's participation in Embassy's 
conference on religious freedom and his meetings with 
Vatican officials reinforced a crucial area of common 
interest between the USG and the Holy See and helped focus 
attention on problem areas.  Rooted in its interest in 
ensuring freedom for Catholics to worship worldwide, the 
Holy See has become a strong advocate for freedom for all 
faiths.  Embassy greatly appreciates Ambassador Hanford's 
engagement and will maintain a close dialogue with the Holy 
See to share perspectives on areas of concern where the 
Holy See's "on the ground" perspective may offer insights 
on ways forward. 
 
HARDT 
 
 
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 2005VATICA00037 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL