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 005566 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), EUR/PD/PA (HILTON), DRL/IRF 
(FARR), EAP/CM, SA/PAB, NEA/IAI, PRM/ANE 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN MESSAGE NUMBER 187/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI SMIG MARR MCAP AF CH IS WE PHUM SOCI SMIG MARR MCAP AF CH IS WE VT VTPREL
SUBJECT: VATICAN VERBATIM 
 
 
¶1.   THE OCTOBER 20-26 EDITION OF NEWS AND VIEWS FROM VATICAN 
CITY. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  05566  01 OF 02  261515Z 
CONTENTS: 
 
- POPE DECRIES MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE 
- POPE APOLOGIZES TO CHINA AND HOPES FOR DIPLOMATIC TIES 
- CARITAS APPEAL FOR AFGHANISTAN 
- VATICAN SAYS UNESCO TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE FOR PEACE 
- VATICAN RATIFIES U.N. PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT CHILDREN 
 
--------------------------------- 
POPE DECRIES MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.   POPE JOHN PAUL II DEPLORED THE CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN 
ISRAELI TROOPS AND PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK TOWNS OF 
BETHLEHEM, BEIT JALA AND BEIT SAHOUR. IN AN OCTOBER 21 ADDRESS 
IN VATICAN CITY, HE SAID THE VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WAS A 
"PATH OF DEATH, WHICH DISHONORS GOD'S NAME." THE POPE 
EXPRESSED PARTICULAR CONCERN THAT "WAR AND DEATH HAVE EVEN 
ARRIVED AT THE SQUARE OF THE BASILICA OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR 
LORD." THE POPE SAID IT MUST BE "EVERYONE'S COMMITMENT TO MAKE 
THIS (THE HOLY LAND) FINALLY A LAND OF PEACE AND FRATERNITY." 
 
--------------------------------- 
POPE REACHES OUT TO CHINA - AGAIN 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3.   POPE JOHN PAUL II HAS ISSUED AN APOLOGY TO CHINA FOR ANY 
ACTIONS TAKEN BY CATHOLICS THAT OFFENDED CHINA OR GAVE THE 
IMPRESSION OF DISRESPECT FOR ITS CULTURE. THE POPE'S OCTOBER 
24 MESSAGE WAS ADDRESSED TO AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN 
ROME, ITALY MARKING FOUR CENTURIES SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF JESUIT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  05566  01 OF 02  261515Z 
MISSIONARY MATTEO RICCI IN BEIJING. THE POPE WROTE THAT 
PERSONAL LIMITATIONS, POLITICAL PRESSURE AND THEOLOGICAL 
DISPUTES SOMETIMES LED TO TENSIONS AND MISTRUST BETWEEN CHINA 
AND THE VATICAN. THE POPE OPINED THAT SUCH MISTRUST OFFSET THE 
"GOOD WORK" ACCOMPLISHED BY MISSIONARIES IN PREACHING THE 
CHRISTIAN MESSAGE, EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE. POPE JOHN PAUL 
EXPRESSED HIS HOPE THAT "CONCRETE FORMS OF COMMUNICATION AND 
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF 
CHINA MAY SOON BE ESTABLISHED." (NOTE: THE VATICAN HAS 
REPEATEDLY SAID IT WOULD MOVE ITS DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION 
"OVERNIGHT" FROM TAIPEI TO BEIJING AS SOON AS CHINA AGREES TO 
NORMALIZE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.  AT ISSUE IS THE VATICAN'S 
RELIGIOUS JURISDICTION OVER THE 10-15 MILLION CATHOLICS IN 
CHINA, INCLUDING THE VATICAN'S RIGHT TO ORDAIN BISHOPS FREE 
FROM STATE INTERFERENCE.  END NOTE.) THE POPE SAID, "THE 
NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE HOLY SEE 
WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE POSITIVE REPERCUSSIONS FOR HUMANITY'S 
PROGRESS." TAIWAN'S AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE EXPRESSED DOUBT 
THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD RESPOND FAVORABLY TO THE 
POPE'S OVERTURE TO BEIJING, WHICH HE DEFINED AS "EXCEPTIONAL." 
(SEPTEL TO FOLLOW). 
 
------------------------------------------- 
CARITAS LAUNCHES APPEAL FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.   CARITAS INTERNATIONAL, THE CONFEDERATION OF CATHOLIC 
RELIEF AGENCIES, HAS LAUNCHED AN APPEAL FOR US DOLLARS 11 
MILLION TO FUND ITS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES. 
CARITAS SAID THE MONEY WOULD BE USED TO CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO 
HAVE FLED THEIR HOMES SINCE THE START OF THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  05566  01 OF 02  261515Z 
IN AFGHANISTAN, AS WELL AS THOSE ALREADY IN CAMPS IN PAKISTAN. 
CARITAS SAID THE MILITARY ACTION WAS COMPOUNDING AN ALREADY 
SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN, WHICH HAS SUFFERED 
THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF DROUGHT AND 22 YEARS OF WAR. 
MEANWHILE, THE VATICAN'S OBSERVER TO THE U.N. AGENCIES IN 
GENEVA, ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID MARTIN HIGHLIGHTED THE FORCED 
DISPLACEMENT OF LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE, SUCH AS THE AFGHAN 
PEOPLE LEAVING THEIR HOMES TO AVOID THE CURRENT MILITARY 
ACTION. ADDRESSING A MEETING OF UNHCR, THE ARCHBISHOP SAID THE 
LACK OF PROTECTION FOR REFUGEES IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY 
CRITICAL INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
VATICAN SAYS UNESCO MUST PROMOTE DIALOGUE FOR PEACE 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5.   THE VATICAN'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE U.N. EDUCATIONAL, 
SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, MONSIGNOR LORENZO FRANA, 
HAS SAID THE ORGANIZATION'S ROLE IS THE SAME AS IT WAS IN THE 
YEARS AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR - "TO RAISE HUMAN SPIRITS TO 
THE DEFENSE OF PEACE, A STABLE PEACE BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ8399 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  05566  02 OF 02  261515Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CA-01    CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00 
      DODE-00  DS-00    EAP-00   FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    VCE-00   AC-01    NEA-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00 
      PM-00    ACE-00   SS-00    TEST-00  VO-03    SA-00    SNIS-00 
      NISC-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /008W 
                  ------------------35EE79  261629Z /38 
R 261432Z OCT 01 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0000 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
AMCONSUL HONG KONG 
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 
AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 005566 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), EUR/PD/PA (HILTON), DRL/IRF 
(FARR), EAP/CM, SA/PAB, NEA/IAI, PRM/ANE 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN MESSAGE NUMBER 187/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI SMIG MARR MCAP AF CH IS WE PHUM SOCI SMIG MARR MCAP AF CH IS WE VT VTPREL
SUBJECT: VATICAN VERBATIM 
 
OF THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL SOLIDARITY OF HUMANITY."  FRANA 
SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ON THE UNITED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  05566  02 OF 02  261515Z 
STATES, "IF IT IS THE OBLIGATION OF NATIONS TO ELIMINATE 
TERRORISM," THE DUTY OF UNESCO, "CONSISTS IN DOING EVERYTHING 
POSSIBLE SO THAT THE FUTURE IS ONE OF A DIALOGUE OF CULTURES 
AIMED AT BUILDING PEACE." HE SAID UNESCO CAN BE A "CATALYST" 
FOR A DEEPER REFLECTION ON THE ETHICAL ISSUES CONNECTED WITH 
LIFE, EDUCATION, POVERTY, ECONOMICS, NEW TECHNOLOGY "AND 
ESPECIALLY, GLOBALIZATION." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
VATICAN RATIFIES TWO PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT CHILDREN 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6.   THE VATICAN'S REPRESENTATIVE AT THE UNITED NATIONS, 
ARCHBISHOP RENATO MARTINO, HAS DEPOSITED THE INSTRUMENTS OF 
RATIFICATION FOR A PROTOCOL ON CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT AND 
ANOTHER TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF CHILDREN, CHILD PROSTITUTION 
AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, BOTH SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS TO THE 
CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN. DURING A JOINT PRESS 
CONFERENCE WITH MARTINO THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL 
REPRESENTATIVE FOR CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT, OLARA OTUNNA, 
SAID VATICAN SUPPORT FOR THE PROTOCOL ADDED A WHOLE NEW 
MOMENTUM TO THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS. HE 
SAID THE VATICAN HAD A SPECIAL "MORAL PLATFORM" FOR USE IN 
EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE OTHER STATES. THE VATICAN WAS THE SEVENTH 
STATE TO RATIFY THE PROTOCOL AFTER CANADA, BANGLADESH, SRI 
LANKA, ANDORRA, PANAMA AND ICELAND. NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA05566 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED