US embassy cable - 02VATICAN3986

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 003986 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S (CKELY), EUR/WE MENNUTI AND NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 08/13/2012 
TAGS: IS, PREL, PHUM, KIRF, PREL, PHUM, KIRF, VT, VTIS 
SUBJECT: POPE APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN MIDDLE 
EAST; RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS 
 
REF: A. A) VATICAN 3823 
     B. B) VATICAN 3503 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, D. BRENT HARDT.  REASONS: 
1.5(B) AND (D) 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: IN HIS AUGUST 1 ANGELUS MESSAGE, POPE JOHN 
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PAGE 02        VATICA  03986  01 OF 02  150143Z 
PAUL II MADE A STRONG AND EMOTIONAL APPEAL FOR PEACE IN THE 
MIDDLE EAST, CALLING ON ISRAELITES AND PALESTINIANS TO RETURN 
TO THE PATH OF NEGOTIATIONS, AND URGING THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY TO COMMIT ITSELF TO A PRESENCE IN THE REGION "TO 
CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE 
PARTIES.  THE POPE FORCEFULLY STATED THAT "THERE IS NO 
JUSTIFICATION FOR THOSE WHO INDISCRIMINATELY KILL INNOCENT 
DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS."  HE EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN FOR THE 
PLIGHT OF BOTH THE PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, AND EMPHASIZED 
THAT NEITHER ATTACKS, ARMS, NOR WALLS OF SEPARATION WOULD 
LEAD TO A JUST SOLUTION.  FINALLY, CALLING ATTENTION TO THE 
INABILITY OF WORSHIPERS TO ATTEND SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE 
CURFEWS, HE CONDEMNED WHAT HE TERMED A RESTRICTION ON FREEDOM 
OF RELIGION AND APPEALED TO CHRISTIANS LIVING IN THE HOLY 
LANDS NOT TO ABANDON THE REGION DESPITE THE CURRENT TROUBLES. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
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POPE ANGUISHED BY CONTINUING VIOLENCE 
------------------------------------- 
 
2. (U) IN HIS FIRST SUNDAY ANGELUS MESSAGE SINCE HIS RETURN 
FROM CANADA, GUATEMALA AND MEXICO, POPE JOHN PAUL II CHOSE TO 
MAKE A POINTED APPEAL FOR AN END TO VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE 
EAST.  OBSERVING THAT HE "CAN'T STOP THINKING" ABOUT THE HOLY 
LANDS WHOSE PEOPLE HAVE NO RESPITE FROM THE "ALMOST DAILY 
EPISODES OF ABOMINABLE VIOLENCE," THE POPE ASKED RHETORICALLY 
WHEN THE ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WOULD COME TO 
UNDERSTAND THAT THE ABILITY TO LIVE TOGETHER "DOES NOT SPRING 
FROM ARMS."  "NEITHER ATTACKS, NOR WALLS OF SEPARATION, NOR 
RETALIATION WILL EVER LEAD TO AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION OF THE 
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PAGE 03        VATICA  03986  01 OF 02  150143Z 
CURRENT CONFLICT."  HE SAID HE SUFFERS WITH THOSE WHO MOURN 
THE DESTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY THE INNOCENTS WHO ARE PAYING 
THE PRICE OF THE CURRENT VIOLENCE. 
 
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NO JUSTIFICATION FOR TERROR 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (U) REINFORCING HIS REJECTION OF TERROR IN ALL FORMS, THE 
POPE SAID HE WANTED TO REPEAT TO ALL FROM WHATEVER ETHNIC 
GROUP THEY BELONG TO, THAT "THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR 
THOSE WHO INDISCRIMINATELY KILL INNOCENT DEFENSELESS 
CIVILIANS."  CONVEYING EQUAL CONCERN FOR THE SUFFERING OF 
BOTH SIDES, THE POPE OBSERVED THAT FROM 1967 TO THE PRESENT 
THERE HAS BEEN "A TERRIBLE SUCCESSION OF UNSPEAKABLE 
SUFFERING: SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIANS, HUNTED FROM THEIR 
OWN LANDS OR CONSTRAINED, IN RECENT TIMES, TO A STATE OF 
PERMANENT SIEGE, OBJECTS OF A SORT OF COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT; 
SUFFERING OF THE ISRAELI POPULATION WHICH LIVES IN DAILY 
TERROR OF BEING BOMBED BY ANONYMOUS ATTACKERS." 
 
--------------------------------- 
APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE 
--------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS, THE HOLY SEE HAS INTENSIFIED 
ITS PUSH FOR SOME FORM OF INTERNATIONAL INTERPOSITION FORCE 
ON THE GROUND IN THE REGION (REFTELS).  REINFORCING THIS 
MESSAGE, THE POPE CALLED ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY "TO 
COMMIT ITSELF WITH GREAT DETERMINATION TO BE PRESENT ON THE 
GROUND, OFFERING THE NEEDED MEDIATION TO CREATE THE 
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PAGE 04        VATICA  03986  01 OF 02  150143Z 
CONDITIONS FOR A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE PARTIES." 
AT THE SAME TIME, HE APPEALED TO THE ISRAELIS AND 
PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO HONEST NEGOTIATIONS." 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
POPE SEES FREEDOM OF RELIGION RESTRICTED IN HOLY LANDS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
5. (U) ADDING URGENCY TO HIS APPEAL TO PEACE, THE POPE 
REITERATED HIS CONCERN FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LANDS -- 
MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN EMIGRATING TO ESCAPE THE VIOLENCE AND 
LACK OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE STRIFE-TORN REGION.  IN THIS 
CONNECTION, THE POPE ASSERTED THAT THE CURRENT RIGID CURFEW 
IMPOSED BY THE ISRAELIS HAD RESULTED IN A FUNDAMENTAL 
VIOLATION OF THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION, AS BELIEVERS OF ALL 
FAITHS NO LONGER HAD ACCESS TO PLACES OF WORSHIP. 
 
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COMMENT 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0393 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  03986  02 OF 02  131621Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  WHA-00 
      PERC-00  DS-00    VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   VCE-00   NEA-00 
      NSAE-00  DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------D89D77  131621Z /38 
R 131615Z AUG 02 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE 
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 
USINT HAVANA 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003986 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S (CKELLY), EUR/WE MENNUTI AND NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2012 
TAGS: IS, PREL, PHUM, KIRF, VT 
SUBJECT: POPE APPEALS FOR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN MIDDLE 
EAST; RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS 
 
6.  (C) RETURNING TO ROME AFTER HIS EXTENDED VISIT TO THE 
AMERICAS, THE POPE WAS CLEARLY SEEKING TO USE HIS SUNDAY 
ANGELUS TO REGISTER HIS DEEP PERSONAL CONCERN AT THE 
CONTINUING SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE AND TO REINFORCE THE VATICAN'S 
CURRENT VIEW THAT SOME FORM OF AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE IS 
NEEDED TO GIVE THE PARTIES A CHANCE TO COOL DOWN FROM CURRENT 
OVERHEATED EMOTIONS ON BOTH SIDES.  ITALIAN NEWSPAPER 
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PAGE 02        VATICA  03986  02 OF 02  131621Z 
ACCOUNTS OF THE POPE'S STATEMENT SUGGESTED THAT PRESIDENT 
BUSH HAD BEEN RECEPTIVE TO THE POPE'S PROPOSAL FOR SUCH A 
FORCE IN THEIR FIRST MEETING, BUT THAT THE U.S. HAD CHANGED 
ITS MIND UNDER PRESSURE FROM ISRAEL.  UNTIL GREATER PROGRESS 
IS REGISTERED IN ENDING THE VIOLENCE AND REESTABLISHING 
CONFIDENCE, THE VATICAN IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY 
ITS APPEAL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. 
HARDT 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 

 2002VATICA03986 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL