US embassy cable - 02VATICAN5836

UNCLAS VATICAN 005836 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/RPM AD EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, VT, OSCE 
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF SEPARATE OSCE 
ANTI-SEMITISM MEETING 
 
REF: A) STATE 228101 B) USOSCE 1433 C) STATE 239512 
 
 1. (SBU)  POLOFF REVIEWED REFS (A) AND (B) DISCUSSION OF A 
SPECIAL SESSION ON ANTI-SEMITISM NOVEMBER 16 WITH VATICAN 
OSCE DIRECTOR MONS. ETTORE BALESTRERO, FOCUSING ON THE NEED 
FOR A STAND-ALONE MEETING TO DISCUSS ANTI-SEMITISM. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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BALESTRERO SAID THE HOLY SEE SHARED THE USG'S CONCERNS AND 
INDICATED HE WOULD UNDERTAKE TO SEE HOW THE HOLY SEE OSCE 
DELEGATION MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE U.S. 
 
2. (SBU) DCM FOLLOWED UP WITH VATICAN DFM CELESTINO MIGLIORE 
NOVEMBER 25, DEPLOYING REF (C) POINTS AND EMPHASIZING THE 
IMPORTANCE THE USG ATTACHED TO HAVING A SEPARATE OSCE MEETING 
DEVOTED TO ANTI-SEMITISM.  MIGLIORE RESPONDED THAT THE HOLY 
SEE WAS "HESITANT" TO ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL, "NOT BECAUSE WE 
ARE NOT CONVINCED OF THE NEED TO COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM." 
RATHER, THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT IF THE OSCE WERE TO HOLD A 
SPECIAL SESSION ON ANTI-SEMITISM, THE OSCE WOULD HAVE TO 
EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS NOT HOLDING SPECIAL SESSIONS ON THE ROMA, 
SINTI, AND OTHER GROUPS FACING RACISM OR XENOPHOBIA.  HE FELT 
THIS WOULD DILUTE THE STATEMENT CONDEMNING DISCRIMINATION 
THAT WOULD COME OUT OF OPORTO.  THE PROBLEM, MIGLIORE 
REITERATED, WAS THAT "SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT THEIR 
SPECIFIC PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT, AND WE WILL INEVITABLY 
DISAPPOINT SOME GROUP." 
 
3. (SBU) DCM RESPONDED THAT THE USG REGARDS ANTI-SEMITISM AS 
A UNIQUE HISTORICAL PROBLEM THAT MERITS STAND-ALONE 
TREATMENT.  MOREOVER, WE BELIEVE THAT SUCH TREATMENT WOULD 
STRENGTHEN THE OSCE'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH OTHER FORMS OF 
RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA.  MIGLIORE RESPONDED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD 
THAT THE OPPOSITION TO A SPECIAL SESSION FOR ANTI-SEMITISM 
WAS WIDELY SHARED BY MANY DELEGATIONS, AND THAT HE FOUND IT 
WELL-GROUNDED.  HE REITERATED HIS VIEW THAT THE OPORTO 
STATEMENT WOULD BE STRONGER IF IT REMAINED ON A MORE GENERAL 
LEVEL. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  05836  040931Z 
4.  (SBU)  DCM REPEATED THAT THE U.S. STRONGLY BELIEVED THE 
ISSUE SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY RAISED IN OPORTO AND STRONGLY 
FAVORED A SUBSEQUENT SEPARATE MEETING.  HE URGED MIGLIORE TO 
KEEP AN OPEN MIND, AND TO WORK WITH OUR DELEGATION IN VIENNA 
AND OPORTO TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENT. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002VATICA05836 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED