US embassy cable - 02VATICAN5848

UNCLAS VATICAN 005848 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, VT 
SUBJECT:  HOLY SEE NOMINATES NEW DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: 
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON PIETRO PAROLIN 
 
1.   (U) POPE JOHN PAUL II HAS APPOINTED MONSIGNOR PIETRO 
PAROLIN TO BE THE HOLY SEE'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER (UNDER- 
SECRETARY FOR THE SECTION FOR RELATIONS WITH STATES OF THE 
 
SIPDIS 
SECRETARIAT OF STATE).  PAROLIN REPLACES ARCHBISHOP- 
 
SIPDIS 
DESIGNATE CELESTINO MIGLIORE WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED THE HOLY 
SEE'S PERMANENT OBSERVER AT THE U.N. IN NEW YORK. 
 
2.   (U) PIETRO PAROLIN WAS BORN IN SCHIAVON, IN VICENZA 
PROVINCE, IN THE NORTH OF ITALY IN 1955.  AFTER HIS 
ORDINATION AS A CATHOLIC PRIEST HE TOOK UP GRADUATE STUDIES 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  05848  041550Z 
IN CANON LAW AND DIPLOMACY AND ENTERED THE HOLY SEE'S 
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE IN 1986.  PAROLIN SERVED AT HOLY SEE 
NUNCIATURES IN NIGERIA AND MEXICO, AND MOST RECENTLY AS 
DIRECTOR FOR SPAIN, ANDORRA, ITALY, SAN MARINO AND CONCORDAT 
ISSUES AT THE VATICAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY.  HE SPEAKS 
ITALIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND SPANISH. 
 
3.   (SBU) PAROLIN WAS A 2001 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR TO THE 
UNITED STATES FROM THE VATICAN, AND HAS BEEN A GOOD CONTACT 
FOR POST.  WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH HIM IN HIS CAPACITY 
AS COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR INDONESIA DURING THE EAST TIMOR 
CRISIS.  HE HAS CONSISTENTLY PROVEN HIMSELF AN OPEN-MINDED 
"VATICANISTA" WHO HAS BEEN GROOMED FOR GREATER 
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE HOLY SEE.  HE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN 
OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR A PAPAL NUNCIO -- A COMMON ONWARD 
ASSIGNMENT FOR VATICAN MFA COUNTRY DIRECTORS 
-- BUT WE SUSPECT HIS SUPERIOR ABILITIES, AS WELL AS PERHAPS 
FAMILY REASONS (WE KNOW HIS ELDERLY MOTHER'S ILLNESS 
SLIGHTLY ABBREVIATED HIS IV PROGRAM), HAVE KEPT HIM AT THE 
VATICAN WHERE HE HAS NOW LEAP-FROGGED INTO A MORE SENIOR 
POSITION.  PAROLIN WILL LIKELY CARRY ON THE TRADITION OF 
FRIENDLINESS, OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, AND OPEN-MINDEDNESS 
ESTABLISHED BY HIS PREDECESSOR, AND WILL BE AN EFFECTIVE 
HIGH-LEVEL INTERLOCUTOR FOR THE U.S. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002VATICA05848 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED