US embassy cable - 05VATICAN519

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000519 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  9/9/2015 
TAGS: PREL, VT, VE, IS, CH, TU, IZ, religious freedom 
SUBJECT: VATICAN: MEETING WITH ARCHBISHOP LAJOLO 
 
REF: STATE 160880, STATE 160131, STATE 162146 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, charge d'affaires a.i., 
EXEC, State. REASON: 1.4 (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary.  Charge d'affaires a.i. called on Vatican 
FM-equivalent Lajolo September 3 and raised a number of issues, 
including Venezuela, China, Turkey/Islam, UN reform, Israel, 
Iraq.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Charge paid an introductory 30-minute call on September 3 
on Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, the Holy See's Secretary for 
Relations with States (effectively the Vatican's Foreign 
Minister).  Charge raised a number of points with Lajolo, who 
was friendly but noncommittal throughout. 
 
3. (U) Following courtesies, Charge began by emphasizing to 
Lajolo key points in the Department's non-paper (reftel) on 
Development Issues in the UN High Level General Assembly. 
Charge also drew on Department guidance on the 6-countries 
financing proposal and UN reform.  Lajolo listened attentively 
and indicated he would review the non-paper before responding. 
 
4. (C) Venezuela:  Lajolo said the Holy See is very concerned 
about events in Venezuela and the status of the Church. 
However, he parried suggestions that the Vatican might consider 
a stronger public stance backing its own officials there and 
confirmed that the Holy See's preference is for quiet diplomacy; 
Lajolo said the Vatican remains hopeful of progress in this way. 
 Reminded of Chavez' harsh comments toward Cardinal Castillo, 
Lajolo was unsympathetic, suggesting that the Cardinal might 
have brought it on himself by his own outspokenness. 
 
5. (C) China:  Lajolo said the Church is "optimistic" about 
relations with China, though he declined to be more specific. 
 
6. (C) Israel:  Lajolo said the recent spat between the Vatican 
and the Israeli foreign ministry was the fault of the Israelis, 
and that they acknowledged this.  Following the conciliatory 
words between the two governments, relations have returned to 
normal and the talks on status are resuming this month. 
However, Lajolo did not express optimism about progress toward 
resolving the two issues at stake (tax-exempt status for Church 
entities, and the legal status of the agreement). 
 
7. (C) Iraq:  Lajolo reiterated Vatican concern over language in 
the Iraqi draft constitution (on the status of Islam) that could 
have negative consequences for freedom of religion, and 
specifically for Christians in Iraq.  He acknowledged that the 
language was not necessarily prejudicial, and that everything 
would depend upon interpretation, but noted the Church's 
continuing worries about how that interpretation might play out. 
 
8. (C) Turkey/Islam:  Charge noted the Pope's reported interest 
in visiting Turkey to see the Ecumenical Patriarch and asked 
about the Pope's views on Turkey and the EU.  Lajolo confirmed 
the Pope's desire to visit Turkey, if the GOT should decide to 
invite him.  With regard to the EU, Lajolo recalled that in 
2004,  prior to becoming Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger had made clear 
his view that Turkey was not ready to join Europe.  Lajolo noted 
that this is not the official position of the Holy See, though 
of course Ratzinger's publicly expressed views on the subject 
(with which Lajolo agrees) cannot be overlooked.   Charge 
observed that the Pope's recent meeting with celebrated Italian 
journalist Oriana Fallaci (a self-described "Christian atheist" 
now resident in New York) had attracted speculation (and 
criticism from some Muslims) because of Fallaci's well-known 
incendiary writings against Islam after 9/11, and in light of 
Benedict's own more restrictive tendencies toward granting 
audiences.  Lajolo dismissed the idea that the Papal audience 
had any political content or implication, saying it was 
essentially a humanitarian gesture for an aging and ill woman. 
 
9. (C) Comment:  Lajolo was polite throughout, but remained 
reactive and not very talkative - rather in keeping with the 
reputation of senior Vatican officials for reserve with new 
acquaintances.  Embassy will continue to press on key issues at 
all levels within the Holy See.  With regard to China, the 
Pope's nomination of four Chinese bishops (one from the 
underground Church) to attend the October general synod has 
attracted attention and is a likely sign that something is in 
the offing.  As to Fallaci, well-informed Vatican watchers found 
this a very curious audience but tended to downplay its 
significance; on the other hand, Benedict is not thought to be 
especially forward-leaning with regard to building bridges to 
Islam, and the audience might be seen in that light. 
SANDROLINI 
 
 
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 2005VATICA00519 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL