US embassy cable - 03VATICAN1406

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001406 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), WHA/CCA, AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, CU, PHUM, PGOV, CU, VT, VTPREL 
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE'S PASSIVE APPROACH TO GOC DISSIDENT 
CRACKDOWN 
 
REF: A) STATE 75175 B) VATICAN 195 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B) AND 
(D) 
 
1. (C) DCM CONVEYED REF (A) DEMARCHE CONCERNING THE CUBAN 
GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING DISSIDENT CRACKDOWN MARCH 26 TO DEPUTY 
FOREIGN MINISTER PIETRO PAROLIN.  PAROLIN INDICATED THE HOLY 
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SEE WAS FOLLOWING THE CRACKDOWN WITH CONCERN, AND WOULD 
CLOSELY REVIEW THE U.S. POINTS.  POLOFF FOLLOWED UP MARCH 28 
WITH MFA CUBAN AFFAIRS DIRECTOR MONS. GIORGIO LINGUA, WHO 
STRESSED THAT THE HOLY SEE WAS IN A "SPECIAL SITUATION" 
VIS-A-VIS CUBA BECAUSE OF ITS NEED TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE 
CATHOLIC CHURCH PRESENCE THERE (REF B).  LINGUA POINTED OUT 
THAT THE HOLY SEE'S TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO UNHRC COUNTRY 
RESOLUTIONS WAS TO STAY AWAY FROM DIRECT ENGAGEMENT. 
CONSEQUENTLY, THE HOLY SEE WOULD NOT ENGAGE ACTIVELY FOR A 
UNHRC RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE RECENT CUBAN GOVERNMENT 
CRACKDOWN ON POLITICAL DISSIDENTS.  HE ASSURED US, HOWEVER, 
THAT "IF ANOTHER COUNTRY CAME TO SEEK OUR OPINION, WE WOULD 
CERTAINLY UNDERSCORE THE UNACCEPTABILITY OF CASTRO'S RECENT 
ACTION." 
 
2. (C) REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF A UNHRC RESOLUTION, LINGUA 
URGED THAT ANY SUCH RESOLUTION CONTAIN SOME CONSTRUCTIVE 
COMMENT SUCH AS NOTING THE CASTRO REGIME'S PERMISSION FOR 
OSVALDO PAYA TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE TO RECEIVE A HUMAN RIGHTS 
AWARD.  AS FOR PUBLICLY CALLING FOR RELEASE OF THE IMPRISONED 
ACTIVISTS, LINGUA SAID THAT HOLY SEE GENERALLY DOES NOT ISSUE 
PUBLIC APPEALS, BUT WOULD WORK QUIETLY AND DIRECTLY WITH 
THOSE INVOLVED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION.  ASKED IF THAT MEANT 
THE HOLY SEE WOULD INSTRUCT ITS NUNCIO IN HAVANA TO ENGAGE, 
HE DEMURRED.  IN THIS REGARD, LINGUA (PROTECT) CONVEYED HIS 
PERSONAL CHAGRIN THAT THE NUNCIO APPEARS TO HAVE "GIVEN UP ON 
POLITICAL CHANGE UNDER THE CASTRO REGIME."  HE ADDED THAT 
CARDINAL ORTEGA'S RECENT STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE CRACKDOWN 
(AND, WITH A SOP TO THE REGIME, DECRYING OUTSIDE 
INTERFERENCE) WOULD HAVE TO DO FOR NOW. 
 
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3. (C) ACCORDING TO LINGUA, THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES THE CUBAN 
CLERGY SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON CHURCH BUSINESS AND AVOID 
ANTAGONIZING THE CASTRO REGIME IN ORDER TO AVERT ANY FURTHER 
REPRESSION ON THE CHURCH.  IN AN EARLY MARCH CONVERSATION, 
LINGUA TOLD POLOFF THAT CARDINAL ORTEGA IS TRYING TO BALANCE 
SUCH "SOFT PRESSURE" ON THE GOC FOR GREATER RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM, AGAINST MORE THE OVERT POLITICAL ACTIVISM OF BISHOP 
GONZALEZ OF PINAR DEL RIO.  AT THAT TIME LINGUA FEARED THAT 
THE CASTRO GOVERNMENT MIGHT MOVE AGAINST BISHOP GONZALEZ IF 
HE BECAME TOO "PROVOCATIVE" IN HIS SUPPORT OF DISSIDENT 
ACTIVISTS.  LINGUA WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT CARDINAL 
ORTEGA'S STRONG PASTORAL LETTER DENOUNCING THE CONTINUING 
LACK OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CUBA, AND CHARACTERIZED ORTEGA 
AS "COURAGEOUS" AND THE LETTER AS EVIDENCE THAT ORTEGA IS 
"LOSING TRUST" IN THE GOC'S ABILITY TO LOOSEN CONTROLS ON THE 
CHURCH. 
 
4. (C) LINGUA EXHORTED THE U.S. TO BE CAUTIOUS IN HOW IT 
PROMOTES CHANGE IN CUBA, OBSERVING THAT HE WAS SURPRISED THAT 
USINT HAD BECOME SO ENERGETIC IN MEETING WITH DISSIDENTS, 
PROVIDING BOOKS AND SPEAKING PUBLICLY.  HE NOTED THAT PRIOR 
TO THE RECENT CRACKDOWN, THERE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN SOME 
IMPROVEMENT IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, NOTABLY AN 
INCREASING AWARENESS AMONG CUBAN CITIZENS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND 
AN GREATER SENSE OF CIVIC ACTIVISM AMONG SOME -- PARTICULARLY 
AS A RESULT OF THE VARELA PROJECT.  FOR THE CHURCH, HOWEVER, 
HE BELIEVED THE SITUATION HAD ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE COMPARED 
TO LAST YEAR.  WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE OPENING OF THE 
BRIGITTINE CONVENT (SEPTEL), THE CHURCH HADN'T MADE ANY 
PROGRESS OBTAINING GOC PERMISSION TO DEEPEN AND EXPAND ITS 
ACTIVITIES.  THE HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO FEAR THAT THE CHURCH 
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PAGE 04        VATICA  01406  01 OF 02  021354Z 
IN CUBA REMAINS VULNERABLE TO RETRIBUTION FOR THE POLITICAL 
ACTIVISM OF SOME DISSIDENTS WHO OPENLY ASSOCIATED WITH IT. 
 
5. (C) COMMENT:  DESPITE THE HOLY SEE'S COMPLETE REJECTION OF 
THE ONGOING CUBAN ACTIONS, THE HESITATION TO SPEAK OUT 
PUBLICLY REFLECTS THE INNATE CAUTION OF THE HOLY SEE'S 
SECRETARIAT OF STATE IN TAKING ACTIONS AGAINST REPRESSIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
REGIMES THAT ARE ABLE TO MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR VULNERABLE 
CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES.  WHILE THE VATICAN IS TROUBLED AND 
ANGERED BY CASTRO'S SUPPRESSION OF DISSIDENTS AND CRITICISM 
OF USINT COM CASON, THEIR REACTION IS TO KEEP THEIR HEADS 
DOWN AND WORK QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES.  LINGUA TOLD US 
THERE ARE CUBAN DISSIDENTS WHO "TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHURCH 
TO PROMOTE THEIR POLITICS" SUCH AS DAGOBERTO VALDEZ, AND 
OTHERS, LIKE OSVALDO PAYA, WHO "ACT AS (GOOD) LAY CATHOLICS." 
  LINGUA'S PREFERENCE FOR QUIET GAINS OVER THE LONG TERM FITS 
WELL WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT FEELS IT HAS MUCH TO LOSE IF IT 
TAKES A FALSE STEP.  EMBASSY WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS U.S. 
CONCERNS ON THE CRACKDOWN, ESPECIALLY WITH FM TAURAN, WHO, AS 
AN OLD CSCE/OSCE HAND, HAS A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE 
BENEFITS OF A STRONG AND PUBLIC APPROACH TO CALLING FOR 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6523 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  01406  02 OF 02  021354Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00  WHA-00 
      DS-00    FBIE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   VCE-00 
      NSAE-00  PA-00    SSO-00   SS-00    DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-01 
      SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------4F1898  021354Z /38 
O 021353Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
INFO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 
USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001406 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), WHA/CCA, AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, CU, VT 
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE'S PASSIVE APPROACH TO GOC DISSIDENT 
CRACKDOWN 
 
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 

 2003VATICA01406 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL