US embassy cable - 05VATICAN516

S E C R E T  VATICAN 000516 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (TCUNNINGHAM), EUR/SCE (BBELL, MFOOKS) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  8/26/2015 
TAGS: KIRF, PREL, SOCI, NL, BK, HR, VT, OSCE 
SUBJECT: DEL PONTE MAKES "UGLY IMPRESSION" AT THE VATICAN 
 
REF: HAGUE 2263, 04 VAT 1231 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Political Officer, POL, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (S/NF) Holy See Balkans Director Maury described to us 
August 22 the "undiplomatic behavior" of ICTY Chief Prosecutor 
del Ponte on her recent visit to the Vatican foreign ministry 
(HAGUE 2263).  Maury said the Vatican would not respond to the 
strong letter sent by del Ponte to the pope after the visit, 
criticizing the Holy See's dealings in the case of accused war 
criminal Ante Gotovina.  Maury insisted that the Vatican had 
investigated the Gotovina case and did not believe the 
Franciscans in Herzegovina or Croatia were harboring him.  He 
said the Holy See would not call for Gotovina to be handed over 
to the Hague, as making that type of public statement would be a 
matter for the local Church to consider.  The Gotovina case 
aside, Maury said that "all levels" of the Vatican were now 
active in trying to resolve the situation with the Franciscans 
of Herzegovina, for some time now a thorn in the Vatican's side. 
 The situation is complicated; the Holy See resents the 
Franciscans holding out against Church authority, but has a keen 
appreciation for what it sees as their heroic stand in 
maintaining the Catholic faith for generations against hostile 
forces.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------- 
Visit to the Vatican 
-------------------- 
 
2.  (S/NF) Holy See Balkans Director Monsignor Miguel Maury 
described to us August 22 the "very ugly impression" ICTY Chief 
Prosecutor Carla del Ponte made on her recent visit to the 
Vatican foreign ministry (HAGUE 2263).  Though he did not attend 
the meeting himself as he was on leave, he recounted del Ponte's 
session with Vatican FM Lajolo and described del Ponte's 
behavior as very undiplomatic.  According to Maury, she came on 
very strong, certain that accused war criminal Ante Gotovina was 
being hidden among the Franciscans.  She was also abrasive, he 
said, when pressing for a meeting with Pope Benedict, claiming 
that Gotovina himself had been granted an audience with Pope 
John Paul II.   (Maury was unaware of any such audience but 
surmised that if it was true, it was likely that Gotovina had 
been one of many people typically directed to approach the pope 
for a handshake or kiss of the ring at the end of a general 
audience.) 
 
3.  (S/NF) It was unclear whether Maury had seen del Ponte's 
subsequent letter to the pope (HAGUE 2263), but he said her 
general attitude and behavior had left Holy See officials 
shaking their heads.  "She showed who she is," he concluded. 
When asked if the pope would respond to the letter, Maury said 
there was nothing to respond to.  "The pope wouldn't respond in 
a case like this," he said. 
 
---------------------- 
Gotovina Investigation 
---------------------- 
 
4.  (S/NF) Maury told us the Vatican took very seriously 
accusations that Gotovina was being hidden in Franciscan 
monasteries in Herzegovina or Croatia.  Maury insisted that the 
papal nuncio (ambassador) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) had 
investigated the situation and concluded that Gotovina was not 
being hidden by the Franciscans.  "Was he there at one time?" 
Maury asked, "I don't know."  "In any case," he continued, "he's 
not there now."  The Gotovina situation aside, Maury told us in 
a previous meeting that "all levels" of the Vatican were now 
involved with the question of the Franciscans of Herzegovina. 
In practice this means a rather complicated assortment of 
Vatican departments that plays a role in BiH.  The Secretariat 
of State (foreign ministry) is only one, although the most 
important, player on that front. 
 
5.  (C) The Herzegovina Franciscans have been a thorn in the 
Vatican's side for some time, Maury said, refusing to yield to 
Church authority on certain issues.  Maury said the Vatican was 
frustrated that they remained in violation of longstanding 
orders to quit certain of their churches.  The Holy See, 
however, certainly did not want to get the government or law 
enforcement involved in the dispute. They hoped the Church could 
handle this internally. 
 
--------------- 
Public Comments 
--------------- 
 
6.  (C) Maury had no knowledge of any public comment about 
anti-Catholicism contributing to hesitation on Croatia and the 
 
EU (HAGUE 2263).  When asked if the Holy See would consider 
making a public appeal for Gotovina to be turned over to the 
Hague, Maury said it would not.  "It is for the local Church to 
consider whether to make such a statement," he said. "The 
Vatican would not make a specific appeal in a case like this." 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (C) Post had raised the issue of obstructionist Catholic 
influence in Mostar to several officials here last year 
including FM Lajolo.  Former OSCE Bosnia Chief Beecroft also 
made his case to the Franciscans and the Vatican foreign 
ministry (04 VAT 1231).  The bottom line at that time: all 
listeners were sympathetic to us and Beecroft, but the extent to 
which they were willing or able to engage Bishop Peric of Mostar 
or the Franciscans was limited.  Now Maury is outlining a more 
active approach by the Vatican, likely a combination of fatigue 
and incredulity at Franciscan intransigence.  Maury told us that 
the Holy See had learned that one of the Franciscans had (in 
violation of canon law) presided at a confirmation ceremony 
recently - and read a forged note of blessing from Pope Benedict 
XVI. 
 
8. (C) The dynamic here is complicated.  The Vatican resents the 
Franciscans holding out against Church authority, but has a keen 
appreciation for what it sees as their heroic stand in 
maintaining the Catholic faith for generations against hostile 
forces.  This sentiment is also reflected in Maury's comments on 
Bishop Peric.  In previous conversations mentioned above with 
Lajolo, with Maury's predecessor, and others, interlocutors were 
hesitant to criticize the Mostar bishop, even as they agreed on 
the need for more forward-looking approaches to reconciliation 
efforts among Catholics in Mostar.  Maury, however, went even 
further in our conversation, comparing Peric to legendary 
Catholic figures like Poland's Cardinal Wyszynski and (more 
controversial -- though beatified) Croatian Cardinal Stepinac, 
holding their people together in difficult circumstances.  We 
can work with the Vatican on these sensitive issues, but need to 
tread carefully. 
 
SANDROLINI 
 
 
NNNN 

 2005VATICA00516 - Classification: SECRET