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 003976 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE, EUR/PD/PA, EUR/CACEN, AF/C, EAP/CM, 
EAP/BCLTV, DRL/IRF 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 124/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PARM MOPS AM KZ CH VM RW PHUM PARM MOPS AM KZ CH VM RW VT VTPREL
SUBJECT: VATICAN VERBATIM 
 
 
¶1.   THE JULY 14-20 EDITION OF NEWS AND VIEWS FROM VATICAN 
CITY. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03976  01 OF 02  282136Z 
CONTENTS: 
 
- VATICAN RATIFIES NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY 
- WHITE HOUSE ACCUSED OF PUTTING "SPIN" ON PAPAL SPEECH 
- 2008 OLYMPICS: CHINA NOT ONLY RIGHTS VIOLATOR TO WIN GAMES 
- NEW BISHOPS FOR VIETNAM 
- POPE TO VISIT ARMENIA AND KAZAKHSTAN 
- ITALY WILL NOT EXTRADITE RWANDAN PRIEST 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
RATIFICATION OF COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.   ARCHBISHOP RENATO MARTINO, PERMANENT OBSERVER OF THE 
HOLY SEE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, HAS DELIVERED THE HOLY SEE'S 
INSTRUMENT OF RATIFICATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST 
BAN TREATY TO THE UN HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK.  THE TREATY 
WAS ADOPTED BY THE UNGA ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1996, AND SIGNED BY 
THE HOLY SEE ON SEPTEMBER 24 OF THE SAME YEAR.  ARCHBISHOP 
MARTINO EXPRESSED THE VATICAN'S FIRM SUPPORT FOR ENDING 
ILLICIT TRAFFIC IN SMALL ARMS, THE CONVENTION FOR THE TOTAL 
ELIMINATION OF LAND MINES, THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION 
AND THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS TREATY.  WHILE THE HOLY SEE HAS 
PERMANENT OBSERVER STATUS IN THE UNITED NATIONS, IT HAS FULL 
(VOTING) MEMBERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY 
COMMISSION. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
VATICAN SAYS WHITE HOUSE PUT "SPIN" ON STEM CELL REMARKS 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  03976  01 OF 02  282136Z 
¶3.   VATICAN SPOKESMAN, JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS HAS ACCUSED 
UNNAMED WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS OF TRYING TO PUT "A SPIN" ON 
THE POPE'S WORDS TO PRESIDENT BUSH. WHEN POPE JOHN PAUL II 
MET THE PRESIDENT JULY 23 HE CONDEMNED THE "CREATION FOR 
RESEARCH PURPOSES OF HUMAN EMBRYOS." NAVARRO-VALLS SAID JULY 
25 THAT THE POPE WAS NOT OPENING THE POSSIBILITY OF AN 
ETHICAL USE AND DESTRUCTION OF EMBRYOS CREATED FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES. BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS WERE CITED AS SAYING 
THE POPE'S WORDS, WHILE CLEARLY REFERRING TO EMBRYOS CREATED 
FOR RESEARCH, MIGHT NOT COVER OTHER EMBRYOS, SUCH AS THOSE 
CREATED FOR IN VITRO FERTILIZATION BUT NOT IMPLANTED IN A 
UTERUS. NAVARRO-VALLS STATED THAT THE DELIBERATE DESTRUCTION 
OF A HUMAN EMBRYO - NO MATTER HOW OR WHY IT WAS CREATED - IS 
MORALLY UNACCEPTABLE, EVEN IF THE AIM IS TO HELP OTHERS. 
(NOTE. WHEN A VATICAN-BASED JOURNALIST ACCUSED NAVARRO-VALLS 
OF PUTTING HIS OWN "SPIN" ON THE POPE'S SPEECH, HE RETORTED, 
"NO, IT IS NOT SPIN, IT IS THE TRUTH." END NOTE). 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
VATICAN NEWS AGENCY: OLYMPICS OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE CHINA 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶4.   THE DIRECTOR OF VATICAN MISSIONARY NEWS AGENCY "FIDES," 
FATHER BERNARDO CERVELLERA, SUPPORTS BEIJING HOSTING THE 
2008 OLYMPIC GAMES. IN A JULY 13 STATEMENT, CERVELLERA SAID 
REFUSING TO GIVE CHINA THE GAMES WOULD HAVE BEEN 
UNPRODUCTIVE AND HYPOCRITICAL. HE POINTED OUT THAT AUSTRALIA 
HAD BEEN AWARDED THE 2000 OLYMPICS DESPITE A LONG HISTORY OF 
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST ITS ABORIGINAL POPULATION. 
CERVELLERA SAID THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WOULD PROBABLY USE 
THE GAMES "AS A SORT OF DRUG TO SOFTEN THE HARDSHIPS OF THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  03976  01 OF 02  282136Z 
COMING YEARS" AS IT FACES ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES. HOWEVER, 
ACCORDING TO CERVELLERA, A TIME OF HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE IS 
NOT WHEN A NATION SHOULD BE IGNORED - RATHER IT IS A TIME TO 
ENGAGE IT. "THE ALTERNATIVE IS ISOLATION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW 
THE REGIME TO COMPLETELY SUFFOCATE ALL DISSIDENCE," HE SAID. 
THE PRIEST ADDED THAT WHILE CHINA WAS LIKELY TO INCREASE 
SECURITY MEASURES DURING THE GAMES, THERE IS NO WAY IT CAN 
PREVENT INTERACTION BETWEEN CHINESE CITIZENS AND THE TENS OF 
THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES AND TOURISTS WHO WILL TRAVEL TO 
BEIJING FOR THE OLYMPICS. 
 
----------------------- 
NEW BISHOPS FOR VIETNAM 
----------------------- 
 
¶5.   POPE JOHN PAUL II HAS APPOINTED THREE NEW BISHOPS FOR 
VIETNAM. THEY INCLUDE A SUCCESSOR FOR THE INCUMBENT BISHOP 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3935 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  03976  02 OF 02  282137Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AID-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00 
      WHA-00   SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    UTED-00  VC-00    H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     AC-01    NEA-00   NRRC-00 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00   SS-00    STR-00 
      TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  SA-00    SSD-00   PMB-00   PRM-01 
      DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /009W 
                  ------------------0B3FB1  282137Z /69 
R 270954Z JUL 01 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0000 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMEMBASSY HANOI 
AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY KIGALI 
AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 
AMEMBASSY ALMATY 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003976 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE, EUR/PD/PA, EUR/CACEN, AF/C, EAP/CM, 
EAP/BCLTV, DRL/IRF 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 124/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PARM MOPS AM KZ CH VM RW PHUM PARM MOPS AM KZ CH VM RW VT VTPREL
SUBJECT: VATICAN VERBATIM 
 
OF PHAN THIET DIOCESE, BISHOP-DESIGNATE PAUL NGUYEN THANH 
HOAN; AN ASSISTANT BISHOP FOR HO CHI MINH CITY, BISHOP- 
DESIGNATE JOSEPH VU DUY THONG; AND A BISHOP FOR THE DIOCESE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03976  02 OF 02  282137Z 
OF BUI CHU, BISHOP-DESIGNATE JOSEPH HOANG VAN TIEM. THE JULY 
14 NOMINATIONS COME ONE MONTH AFTER A VATICAN DELEGATION 
VISITED VIETNAM TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT OF BISHOPS WITH 
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
POPE TO VISIT ARMENIA AND KAZAKHSTAN IN SEPTEMBER 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶6.   THE VATICAN PRESS OFFICE HAS CONFIRMED POPE JOHN PAUL 
II'S SEPTEMBER 22-27 VISIT TO ARMENIA AND KAZAKHSTAN.  THE 
LEADER OF THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH, CATHOLICOS KAREKIN 
II OF ETCHMIADZIN, INVITED THE POPE TO JOIN IN CELEBRATIONS 
IN HONOR OF THE 1,700TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE 
NATION.  THE VISIT WILL INCLUDE CEREMONIES WITH MINORITY 
CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS IMPORTANT ECUMENICAL EVENTS. 
(NOTE. THE VATICAN HAS A WARM RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ARMENIAN 
APOSTOLIC CHURCH (ONE OF SIX INDEPENDENT ORIENTAL ORTHODOX 
CHURCHES) AND SEVERAL DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES HAVE ALREADY 
BEEN RESOLVED. MANY ECUMENISTS REGARD THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN 
THE VATICAN AND THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH AS A MODEL FOR 
NEGOTIATIONS WITH OTHER ORTHODOX CHURCHES. MUCH OF THE 
SUCCESS IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CLOSE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN POPE 
JOHN PAUL II AND THE LATE CATHOLICOS, KAREKIN I. END NOTE). 
 
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ITALY WILL NOT EXTRADITE RWANDAN PRIEST: VATICAN PRESSURE? 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶7.   THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WILL NOT EXTRADITE A RWANDAN 
CATHOLIC PRIEST WANTED ON GENOCIDE CHARGES BY THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  03976  02 OF 02  282137Z 
INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. FATHER ATHANASE SEROMBA, 
ACCUSED OF ORDERING HIS CHURCH TO BE BULLDOZED, CRUSHING AND 
KILLING UP TO 2500 PARISHIONERS, HAS BEEN LIVING IN FLORENCE 
UNDER THE NAME ANASTASIO SUMBA BURA. ALTHOUGH ITALIAN 
AUTHORITIES SAY THAT AN AD HOC DECREE IS REQUIRED FOR 
COOPERATION WITH THE ICTR, SOURCES OF "THE SUNDAY TIMES" 
CITE DISCREET PRESSURE FROM THE VATICAN AS THE REAL REASON 
FOR THE DELAY. A STATEMENT FROM THE ITALIAN BISHOPS 
CONFERENCE SAID SEROMBA SHOULD BE GIVEN THE BENEFIT OF THE 
DOUBT, AND THAT EVENTS IN RWANDA DURING THE GENOCIDE ERA 
WERE SHROUDED IN CONFUSION. (NOTE: THE VATICAN BELIEVES AN 
ANTI-CATHOLIC PREJUDICE LIES BEHIND EFFORTS TO PROSECUTE 
PRIESTS AND NUNS FOR ALLEGED GENOCIDE CRIMES. END NOTE). 
MERANTE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA03976 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED