US embassy cable - 02VATICAN3503

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003503 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2012 
TAGS: IS, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, VT 
SUBJECT: (C) VATICAN SEES ARAFAT'S MARGINALIZATION AS ROAD 
TO RADICALIZATION AND MILITARY SOLUTION 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: 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 USG MARGINALIZATION OF ARAFAT WILL 
LIKELY EMPOWER HAMAS AND THEREBY JUSTIFY ISRAEL PM SHARON'S 
PLAN TO SEEK A MILITARY SOLUTION.  THE VATICAN BELIEVES 
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ARAFAT'S PRESENCE CAN STILL LIMIT HAMAS' APPEAL. ACCORDING TO 
MIGLIORE, THE VATICAN SUPPORTS AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING 
FORCE FOR THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, AND WOULD SEEK A SEAT 
AT ANY INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C)  DURING INCOMING DCM'S JULY 12 COURTESY CALL ON 
VATICAN DFM CELESTINO MIGLIORE, MIGLIORE RAISED HIS CONCERN 
AT USG POLICY CALLING FOR NEW LEADERSHIP OF THE PALESTINIAN 
AUTHORITY.  MIGLIORE SAID THE ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT 
REMAINS OF GREAT CONCERN TO THE HOLY SEE, WHICH WISHES TO SEE 
AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CONVENED AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE. 
WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING ARAFAT'S SHORTCOMINGS. HE AVERRED THAT 
ARAFAT REMAINS A USEFUL RALLYING SYMBOL FOR PALESTINIANS.  TO 
MOVE HIM OUT NOW WOULD ONLY PAVE THE WAY FOR MORE RADICAL 
ELEMENTS SUCH AS HAMAS, HE PREDICTED.  DRAWING THE THREAD OUT 
FURTHER, MIGLIORE SAID MARGINALIZING ARAFAT WOULD BE A "GIFT 
TO SHARON," WHO WOULD THEN BE FREE TO PURSUE THE MILITARY 
CAMPAIGN THAT THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES HE HAS WANTED ALL ALONG 
-- AND SOMETHING THE HOLY SEE CATEGORICALLY REJECTS. 
 
3.  (C)  MIGLIORE RECALLED THAT SECRETARY POWELL TOLD VATICAN 
PM EQUIVALENT CARDINAL SODANO DURING THE PRESIDENT'S JUNE 
VATICAN VISIT THAT THERE WAS NO CURRENT PLANNING FOR A 
CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE WAYS TO MOVE THE PEACE PROCESS FORWARD. 
 MIGLIORE UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING IDEAS FOR 
MOVING THE PROCESS FORWARD.  HE SAID THE HOLY SEE HAS ITS OWN 
IDEAS, BUT NO PLAN AS SUCH, OTHER THAN ITS "CLEAR AND 
SPECIFIC POLICY OF SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION FOR 
THE HOLY PLACES IN JERUSALEM."  HE DID REMIND US OF THE HOLY 
SEE'S STANDING SUPPORT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL INTER-POSITIONAL 
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FORCE TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, AND NOW ITS STRONG INTEREST IN AN 
OBSERVER ROLE IN ANY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE MEPP. 
 
4.  (C)  COMMENT:  THE LEITMOTIF OF HOLY SEE FOREIGN POLICY 
IS DEFENSE OF THE HUMAN PERSON THROUGH PEACE, DIALOGUE, AND 
SOLIDARITY.  THE VATICAN IS FEARFUL THAT THE PACE AND LEVEL 
OF VIOLENCE IN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES HAS 
DULLED PEOPLES' SENSES, AND THAT VIOLENCE WILL TURN WORSE 
BEFORE IT EASES (IN FACT, FM TAURAN EXPRESSED THESE FEARS TO 
US WHEN THE CURRENT INTIFADA BEGAN IN LATE 2000).  ARAFAT, AS 
DIFFICULT AS HE IS, HAS BEEN A REGULAR VISITOR AT THE HOLY 
SEE AND IS SOMEONE THE VATICAN FEELS IT CAN WORK WITH TO 
PROTECT THE CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES.  THE VATICAN NOW SEES ITS 
INTERESTS THREATENED EVER MORE BY A POSSIBLE TURN AMONG 
PALESTINIANS TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST LEADERSHIP IF ARAFAT 
GOES. 
HARDT 
 
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 2002VATICA03503 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL