US embassy cable - 02VATICAN1922

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001922 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR (BRADKE), EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KWMN, EAGR, EAID, PHUM, KWMN, EAGR, EAID, VT, VTPREL, Human Trafficking 
SUBJECT: VATICAN: MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT MARCH 2002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D). 
 
1.  (C)  THIS CABLE REPORTS ON EMBASSY VATICAN'S ACTIVITIES 
FOR MARCH 2002 (NOTE: THIS PERIOD COINCIDED WITH EASTER WEEK 
CELEBRATIONS AT THE VATICAN, WHICH EMBASSY STAFF ATTEND AS 
PART OF OUR REPRESENTATIONAL DUTIES.).  IT IS INTENDED TO 
SUMMARIZE, BUT NOT EXHAUSTIVELY REPORT, OUR ACTIVITIES DURING 
THE MONTH.  COVERED IN THIS CABLE ARE: 
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-- AMBASSADOR IN USA 
-- AMBASSADOR IN NAPLES 
-- NATO-VATICAN DISCUSSION 
-- DCM MEETINGS 
-- POLITICAL SECTION MEETINGS 
-- POPE'S HEALTH AT EASTER 
-- TIP CONFERENCE 
-- REPORTING: SANT'EGIDIO ON CUBA, MIDDLE EAST INTERESTS, 
ANDORRA/VATICAN RELATIONS, TIP CONFERENCE UPDATE. 
 
2.  (U)  AMBASSADOR IN USA:  AMBASSADOR TRAVELED TO THE USA 
MARCH 6-18 TO DELIVER SPEECHES AT THE WEST POINT 
BICENTENNIAL, THE JUNIPERO SERRA CLUB AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
IN DENVER, AND TO MEET WITH CARDINAL EGAN IN NEW YORK. 
 
3.  (U) AMBASSADOR NAPLES TRIP: AMBASSADOR TRAVELED TO NAPLES 
MARCH 20-21 TO CALL ON CARDINAL GIORDANO AND ATTEND THE USMA 
FOUNDERS DAY DINNER. 
 
4. (C)AMBASSADOR FACILITATED A BRIEFING ON THE PRAGUE NATO 
SUMMIT FOR VATICAN DFM MIGLIORE BY NATO SPECIALISTS BRUCE 
JACKSON AND JULIE FINLEY.  JACKSON EXHORTED A PUBLIC PAPAL 
ENDORSEMENT IN THE LEAD-UP TO PRAGUE. 
 
5.  (C) DCM MEETINGS: 
 
-- ON MARCH 10 DCM MET WITH RUSSIAN DCM TO DISCUSS STATUS OF 
VATICAN RUSSIA RELATIONS.  RUSSIAN SAID THAT RECENT VATICAN 
ACTIONS HAVE SET BACK RELATIONS &20-YEARS8. 
 
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--  ON MARCH 12, DCM FOLLOWED UP WITH MEETING WITH PASTOR OF 
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN ROME AND DE FACTO ORTHODOX REP TO 
THE VATICAN WHO SAID THAT DIALOG, ON A POLITICAL LEVEL, 
BETWEEN THE TWO CHURCHES IS AT A STANDSTILL. 
 
--  EVENING OF MARCH 12 DCM ATTENDED A PRESENTATION ON 
"INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE TWO YEARS AFTER THE POPE'S 
PILGRIMAGE TO ISRAEL" HOSTED BY THE AMBASSADOR OF ISRAEL TO 
THE HOLY SEE.  ALTHOUGH COMMENTATORS WERE UPBEAT, THE SENSE 
THAT ISRAEL/VATICAN RELATIONS ARE AT A LOW POINT BECAUSE OF 
THE CURRENT SITUATION WAS PREVALENT. 
 
6.  (C)  POLITICAL SECTION MEETINGS: 
 
--  POLOFFS MET 03/04 WITH SECRETARY OF THE CONGREGATION FOR 
THE EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES, ARCHBISHOP ROBERT SARAH, A 
GUINEAN, TO DISCUSS OBSTACLES TO THE CHURCH'S EVANGELIZATION 
AND RELIEF/DEVELOPMENT WORK IN AFRICA.  SARAH, JUST BACK FROM 
A VISIT TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, WAS WORRIED 
ABOUT KILLINGS OF CATHOLIC CLERGY IN THE DRC. 
 
--  POLOFF MET 03/07 WITH PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR 
INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AFRICA SPECIALIST DON DENIS CHIDI, A 
NIGERIAN.  CHIDI WAS MUCH MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THE CHURCH'S 
FUTURE IN AFRICA THAN THE EUROPEAN VATICAN INTERLOCUTORS POST 
HAS DISCUSSED THIS WITH IN RECENT WEEKS.  THE LATTER ARE 
QUICKER TO PERCEIVE A CHALLENGE FROM FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAM 
THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENT. 
 
-- POLOFF ATTENDED TRI-MISSION DVC 03/07 WITH U/S LARSON ON 
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GLOBALIZATION/BIOTECH ISSUES IN LEAD-UP TO MONTERREY.  POLOFF 
BROUGHT VATICAN OFFICIALS FRANK DEWANE (JUSTICE AND PEACE, 
AND NUMBER TWO IN HOLY SEE'S  MONTERREY DELEGATION) AND 
DOMINIQUE MEMBERTI (FOREIGN MINISTRY DESK OFFICER). 
 
-- POL/ADMINOFF AND POL ASSISTANT MET 03/12 WITH SECRETARY 
ADJUNCT FOR THE CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF 
PEOPLES, ARCHBISHOP RANJITH, TO DISCUSS THE CHURCH'S 
MISSIONARY EFFORTS IN ASIA.  BOTTOM LINE: VATICAN HAPPY TO 
CO-EXIST PEACEFULLY ON THE CONTINENT WITH OTHER FAITHS.  NO 
DESIRE TO ROCK THE BOAT, THUS ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF 
GROWING CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN THE REGION.  DIALOGUE IS KEY. 
 
-- POLOFF 03/13 ESCORTED STATE A/LM/IP GRANT SPECIALISTS ED 
MUELLER AND JOANNA SNEARLY TO GRANTEE SANT'EGIDIO 
HEADQUARTERS FOR FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION OF PD/ECA GRANTS FOR 
CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROJECTS IN KOSOVO AND MOZAMBIQUE. 
 
-- POLOFF MET 03/15 WITH VATICAN UN ISSUES DESKOFF CONVERSI 
TO BROACH PROPOSAL FOR POSSIBLE JOINT BIOTECH-THEMED TRIP TO 
INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN THE PHILIPPINES 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6557 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  01922  02 OF 02  180558Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DODE-00  PERC-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    VC-00 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    VCE-00   NSAE-00  OIC-02   DSCC-00 
      PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /004W 
                  ------------------87E870  180558Z /38 
P 180503Z APR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 
INFO AMEMBASSY ROME 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001922 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR (BRADKE), EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KWMN, EAGR, EAID, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN: MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT MARCH 2002 
 
(POST'S IDEA TO HELP BRING ABOUT MORE POSITIVE PUBLIC VATICAN 
POSITION ON GMO FOOD).  CONVERSI WAS POSITIVE AND PROMISED TO 
DISCUSS WITH HIS SUPERIORS. POLOFF TO FOLLOW UP AFTER EASTER 
WEEK. 
 
--  POLOFF ESCORTED 03/25 OSCE HOM ROBERT BEECROFT TO 
COURTESY CALL WITH AMBASSADOR AND THEN TO MEETING WITH 
VATICAN FM TAURAN.  BEECROFT DETAILED TO TAURAN HIS 
SUSPICIONS ABOUT THE HIGH LEVEL OF COMPLICITY OF CERTAIN 
CROAT (HERZEGOVINIAN) CLERGY IN HERZEGOVANSKA BANKA 
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MALFEASANCE AND CORRUPTION.  TAURAN WAS RECEPTIVE, AND 
APPEARED WILLING TO DO  MORE TO PRESSURE BISHOP PERIC OF 
MOSTAR AND THE MOSTAR FRANCISCANS TO DESIST FROM POLITICAL 
SUPPORT FOR HARD-LINE HDZ NATIONALIST POSITIONS. (NOTE: 
BEECROFT'S ASSISTANT TOLD POLOFF THE NEXT MORNING THAT A 
03/26 MEETING WITH THE HEAD OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER HAD GONE 
WELL; THE FRANCISCANS SAID THEY HAD REPLACED THE SUPERIOR 
GENERAL OF THE BOSNIAN FRANCISCANS WITH A CROAT-AMERICAN, WHO 
PRESUMABLY WOULD BE LESS TOLERANT OF FRANCISCAN SHENANIGANS 
IN BOSNIA). 
 
-- POL/ADMINOFF MET VATICAN CHINA DESK OFFICER MSGR. 
ROTA-GRAZIOZI TO DISCUSS 3/19 VATICAN VISIT OF TAIWAN VICE 
PRESIDENT ANNETTE HSIU-LIEN LU. DUE TO THE VATICAN'S OFFICIAL 
CLOSURE 3/19 FOR ST. JOSEPH'S DAY, VATICAN FM TAURAN RECEIVED 
LU IN HIS PRIVATE QUARTERS.  ROTA-GRAZIOZI STATED THE MEETING 
WAS WITHOUT SUBSTANCE, A PROTOCOL STOP IN AN ITINERARY THAT 
INCLUDED THE VATICAN MUSEUMS AND ST. PETER'S BASILICA. 
 
7. (C) EASTER CEREMONIES:  AMBASSADOR AND EMBASSY OFFICERS 
ATTENDED THE WEEKLONG SERIES OF OFFICIAL VATICAN EASTER 
CEREMONIES, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THE 
PRESENCE OF THE POPE TO ASSESS HIS PHYSICAL WELLBEING.  HE 
SEEMS TO BE OK. (SEE REFTEL) 
 
8.  (U) TIP CONFERENCE: DURING MARCH EMBASSY MADE PROGRESS IN 
ORGANIZING THE MAY 15-16 CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN RIGHT 
DIMENSION OF TIP.  WE LOCKED IN SEVERAL KEY SPEAKERS, 
INCLUDING CARDINAL SODANO AND STABILITY PACT TTIP TASK FORCE 
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CHAIR HELGA KONRAD.  SPANISH AMBASSADOR TO HOLY SEE HELPED 
LOCK-IN PARTICIPATION BY PONTIFICAL COUNCILS FOR JUSTICE AND 
PEACE AND MIGRANTS.  VARIOUS OTHER EMBASSIES ACCREDITED TO 
HOLY SEE FORWARDED SPEAKER SUGGESTIONS. 
 
9. (C)  REPORTING: VATICAN 1152: SANT'EGIDIO THANKS UNCLE SAM 
AND CHIDES "HYPOCRITE" FIDEL; VATICAN 1171: VATICAN'S "OTHER" 
INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST; VATICAN 1176: ANDORRA TO OPEN 
EMBASSY TO VATICAN; VATICAN 1483: UPDATE ON TIP CONFERENCE. 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2002VATICA01922 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL