US embassy cable - 02VATICAN3492

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003492 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), DRL/IRF (FARR) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KIRF, PHUM, VT, RU 
SUBJECT: VATICAN CONCERNED BY DRAFT RUSSIAN VISA RULES 
 
REF: VATICAN 2239 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: D. BRENT HARDT, CDA, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D) 
 
 1. (C)  SUMMARY:  VATICAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MIGLIORE 
TOLD DCM JULY 12 THAT A NEW RUSSIAN DRAFT LAW ON RELIGIOUS 
WORKER VISAS COULD HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE CHURCH'S 
ABILITY TO OPERATE IN RUSSIA.  FOR EXAMPLE, MIGLIORE 
INDICATED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S OPERATIONS IN IRKUTSK 
WOULD HAVE TO CEASE IF THE LAWS WERE TO PASS IN ITS CURRENT 
FORM, AND OTHER AREAS WOULD BE IMPEDED GIVEN THE SHORTAGE OF 
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RUSSIAN PRIESTS NATIONWIDE.  THE VATICAN IS STILL SEEKING TO 
DETERMINE WHETHER THIS DRAFT HAS HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL SUPPORT 
OR IS THE WORK OF THE BUREAUCRACY.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C)  DURING INCOMING DCM'S JULY 12 COURTESY CALL ON 
VATICAN DFM CELESTINO MIGLIORE, MIGLIORE RAISED HIS CONCERN 
ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF DRAFT RUSSIAN RELIGIOUS VISA LAWS 
THAT WOULD REQUIRE RELIGIOUS WORKERS TO LEAVE RUSSIA EVERY 
THREE MONTHS TO RENEW THEIR STATUS.  HE SAID IT USUALLY TAKES 
A MONTH FOR THOSE VISAS TO BE PROCESSED, AND WOULD REQUIRE 
PRIESTS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS WORKERS FROM POLAND, THE 
PHILIPPINES AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN TO LEAVE THEIR 
PARISHES FOR ONE MONTH OUT OF EVERY FOUR AT GREAT EXPENSE AND 
LOSS OF TIME. IN EFFECT, HE SAID, THE DECREE IS "JUST LIKE 
SAYING CLOSE DOWN YOUR ACTIVITIES."  MIGLIORE WAS ALSO 
CONCERNED THAT THE GOR HAS LISTED A FURTHER 15 RELIGIOUS 
LEADERS "TO BE EXPELLED." 
 
3.  (C)  ASKED WHETHER BISHOP MAZUR (PREVIOUSLY DENIED A VISA 
TO RETURN TO THE DIOCESE OF SAKHALIN -- SEE REFTEL) HAD HEARD 
ANY NEWS ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF HIS VISA, MIGLIORE SAID THE 
HOLY SEE HAD NOT EVEN HEARD FROM THE GOR THE LEGAL BASIS FOR 
HIS VISA REFUSAL.  MAZUR CONTINUES TO COOL HIS HEELS IN 
POLAND.  HE INDICATED THAT THERE IS A REAL RISK THAT THE 
CATHOLIC CHURCH'S ACTIVITIES IN IRKUTSK WOULD HAVE TO CEASE 
IF MAZUR DOESN'T GET HIS VISA AND IF THE NEW DECREE COMES 
INTO FORCE.  HE SAID THAT WHEN THE HOLY SEE ATTEMPTS TO 
DISCUSS THESE ISSUES IN MOSCOW, THEY ARE TOLD THAT "LOWER 
LEVEL OFFICIALS" ARE RESPONSIBLE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE 
CHURCH'S CLERGY ARE STILL DENIED THE CHANCE TO CONDUCT THEIR 
PASTORAL WORK. 
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4. (C)  COMMENT:   MIGLIORE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THIS NEW RUSSIAN 
DECREE INDICATED A NEW LEVEL OF CONCERN WITHIN THE VATICAN 
FOR THEIR ABILITY TO OPERATE IN RUSSIA.  MIGLIORE RAISED THE 
ISSUE IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE HOLY SEE'S CURRENT 
INTERNATIONAL PRIORITIES, GIVING IT TOP BILLING.  THE NEW 
DRAFT LAW COMES ON THE HEELS OF A VITUPERATIVE STATEMENT BY 
THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH'S SPOKESMAN FOR EXTERNAL 
RELATIONS, ARCHPRIEST VSEVOLOD CHAPLIN JULY 5 IN WHICH HE 
CONDEMNED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S COMPETITIVE APPROACH AS 
"EXPANSION AT ANY PRICE," AND ASSERTED THAT THE CATHOLIC 
CHURCH HAS HAD "ALMOST ZERO SUCCESS."  WE WOULD APPRECIATE 
EMBASSY MOSCOW'S TAKE ON WHETHER THERE IS A REAL THREAT THAT 
THE CHURCH'S OPERATIONS COULD BE "SHUT DOWN" OR OTHERWISE 
SERIOUSLY IMPEDED BY THE NEW DRAFT LAW AND WHETHER THIS 
REPRESENTS A NEW ESCALATION IN THE TENSE RELATIONS BETWEEN 
THE TWO CHURCHES.  WITH VATICAN MFA COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR 
RUSSIAN/NIS ISSUES ARCHBISHOP TRICARICO SOON TO RETIRE, THE 
VATICAN IS THIN ON PERSONNEL AND NOT WELL POSITIONED TO PUSH 
ITS INTEREST IN THIS AREA. 
HARDT 
 
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 2002VATICA03492 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL