This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 003756 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (DEAN, SPILSBURY) 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 120/001 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM MZ PHUM MZ VT VTEAID
SUBJECT:  EMBASSY VATICAN TEXT FOR NICHOLSON CONFIRMATION 
 
 
STATEMENT 
 
REFS: A) GFROWICK/SDEAN TELCON 7/12 
 
¶1.  PER REFTELCON, EMBASSY VATICAN OFFERS THE FOLLOWING TEXT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03756  01 OF 02  131452Z 
FOR POSSIBLE USE BY NOMINEE NICHOLSON'S OPENING STATEMENT: 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
IN 1984 THE UNITED STATES JOINED 107 OTHER COUNTRIES, 
INCLUDING ALL OF OUR WESTERN ALLIES, WHEN WE ESTABLISHED 
NORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE HOLY SEE.  THE HOLY SEE 
IS AN ENTITY THAT, UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, HAS AN 
INTERNATIONAL "PERSONALITY" WHICH GIVES THE JURIDICAL 
EQUIVALENT OF A STATE AND THAT HAS ITS TERRITORIAL 
MANIFESTATION IN THE VATICAN CITY STATE.  IN THE CONTEXT OF 
THE DAY, THIS NEW RELATIONSHIP MADE A LOT OF SENSE: IT 
HELPED US MAKE COMMON CAUSE WITH HOLY SEE AGAINST COMMUNISM 
AND THREATS TO WORLD SECURITY IN WANING DAYS OF COLD WAR. 
 
AT THAT TIME THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT ESTABLISHING THIS 
RELATIONSHIP WOULD INFRINGE ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL SEPARATION 
OF CHURCH AND STATE.  I THINK THAT THE WORK OF OUR EMBASSY 
DURING THE INTERVENING YEARS HAS BORNE OUT THE WISDOM OF 
ESTABLISHING THIS RELATIONSHIP.  THAT WORK HAS FOCUSED ON 
THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL ISSUES OF THE DAY. 
 
DURING THOSE YEARS THE VERY SMALL STAFF OF OUR EMBASSY TO 
THE HOLY SEE HAS PROVIDED INVALUABLE REPORTING ON VATICAN 
EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESOLVE CONFLICTS AROUND 
THE WORLD.  IT HAS HELPED TO SUSTAIN A COMMON FRONT AGAINST 
AGGRESSION IN PLACES AS DIVERSE AS KOSOVO AND IRAQ, AND IT 
HAS WORKED WITH VATICAN COUNTERPARTS TO RESOLVE CONFLICT IN 
AFRICA -- MOST NOTABLY IN MOZAMBIQUE. 
 
(NOTE: EMBASSY STAFF CONSISTS OF THREE FOREIGN SERVICE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  03756  01 OF 02  131452Z 
OFFICERS AND ABOUT A DOZEN LOCALLY HIRED STAFF). 
 
THE TIMES ARE CHANGING.  IN THIS NEW MILLENIUM MANY THREATS 
TO OUR SECURITY AND PROSPERITY ARE GLOBAL IN NATURE -- AND 
HOLY SEE CAN BE A USEFUL PARTNER ON MANY ISSUES AND IN MANY 
AREAS OF THE WORLD: 
 
EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE ARE COLLABORATING OR CAN COLLABORATE 
FRUITFULLY WITH THE HOLY SEE: 
 
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES: 
 
-- FIGHTING AIDS, ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA; PROMOTING 
RESPONSIBLE USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE; DEBT 
RELIEF. 
 
SECURITY ISSUES: 
 
--  ENDING REGIONAL CONFLICTS (CONGO, BURUNDI, SUDAN, 
NAGORNO-KARABAKH), 
 
--  INTER-COMMUNAL RECONCILIATION (OUR EMBASSY HAS DEVELOPED 
PROJECTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VATICAN AFFILIATED LAY 
COMMUNITY OF SANT'EGIDIO IN THE BALKANS, AND IN MOZAMBIQUE), 
 
--  EUROPEAN SECURITY (THE POPE'S OUTREACH TO ORTHODOX FITS 
WITH OUR OWN INTEREST IN PROMOTING "A EUROPE WHOLE AND 
FREE"). 
 
DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES: 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  03756  01 OF 02  131452Z 
-- HOLY SEE IS A VALUABLE PARTNER IN PROMOTING DEMOCRACY 
ABROAD (CUBA, CHINA, MIDDLE EAST, ETC.) 
 
--  VERY IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM; OUR EMBASSY TO THE HOLY SEE PLAYS UNIQUE 
ROLE IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT 
OF 1998 BY SHARING INFORMATION ON PROBLEM AREAS LITERALLY 
AROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD, WHERE THE HOLY SEE, UNIQUELY AMONG 
SMALL "COUNTRIES" HAS IMPORTANT PRESENCE THROUGH THE ROMAN 
CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ITS MISSIONARY AND SPECIALIZED COUNCILS. 
 
TO ELABORATE, 
 
EMBASSY VATICAN IS KEEPING CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE HOLY SEE 
IN REGARD TO QUESTIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA.  THE 
VATICAN SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON THE NEED TO PROMOTE 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA.  THE VATICAN DOES NOT HAVE 
OFFICIAL TIES WITH CHINA.  IT DOES HOWEVER MAINTAIN FORMAL 
DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH TAIWAN.  THIS IS A UNIQUE DIPLOMATIC 
SITUATION ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT. 
 
WE FOLLOW WITH INTEREST THE EFFORTS OF THE VATICAN AND 
CARITAS, THE VATICAN'S ARM FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, TO 
ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF THE POPULATION OF NORTH KOREA. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ5675 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  03756  02 OF 02  131452Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00 
      DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    UTED-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    L-00     NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OPIC-01  PRS-00 
      P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  SNIS-00 
      NISC-00  PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------0542EB  131456Z /38 
O 131533Z JUL 01 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0000 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003756 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (DEAN, SPILSBURY) 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 120/001 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM MZ PHUM MZ VT VTEAID
 
SUBJECT:  EMBASSY VATICAN TEXT FOR NICHOLSON CONFIRMATION 
 
STATEMENT 
 
CARITAS HAS SUPPLIED AID ESTIMATED AT $25 MILLION IN VALUE 
TO NORTH KOREA OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.  WE RECOGNIZE THAT 
THE VATICAN, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 
WITH NORTH KOREA, HAS LEGITIMATE INTERESTS IN THE WELFARE OF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03756  02 OF 02  131452Z 
THE ESTIMATED 2,000-4,000 CATHOLICS IN NORTH KOREA. 
 
WE ARE KEEPING TRACK OF VATICAN DISCUSSIONS WITH VIETNAM ON 
THE STATUS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VIETNAM AND THE 
EVENTUAL ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 
BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THE HOLY SEE. 
 
NOT TO SAY WE AGREE ON EVERYTHING -- WE HAVE DIFFERENCES ON 
MEPP, ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS, AND 
ON SOCIAL ISSUES LIKE THE DEATH PENALTY.  BUT THESE 
DIFFERENCES ARE A NATURAL PART OF ANY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP. 
ON GLOBALIZATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT WANT TO LISTEN TO 
THE POPE'S CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, WHICH HE SEEKS TO 
COMMUNICATE OVER THE DIN OF ANARCHIC BABBLE WE SEE IN GENOA 
THIS WEEK.  THE VATICAN URGES THE CREATION OF AN 
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY THAT IS MORE SUPPORTIVE OF POOR, MORE 
SHARING OF TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE AND LESS UNEQUAL IN 
DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH -- PRECISELY TO MAKE THE WORD A MORE 
STABLE AND PROSPEROUS PLACE FOR ALL OF US. 
 
I WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMBASSY TO HOLY SEE WILL BE A 
VALUABLE TOOL TO PROMOTE U.S. VIEWS ACROSS ALL THESE AREAS 
AND MORE -- AND TO MAKE IT A VALUABLE "LISTENING POST" TO 
BENEFIT FROM THE KNOWLEDGE AND VIEWS OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S 
MOST SOPHISTICATED AND GLOBALLY ACTIVE DIPLOMATIC CORPS. 
END TEXT. 
MERANTE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA03756 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED