VZCZCXRO2895
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHROV #0007/01 0131509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131509Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHVV/ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0005
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0244

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000007 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF IS VT PHUM PTER SU KPAL
SUBJECT: DIP CORPS ADDRESS: POPE HIGHLIGHTS TERRORISM, TIP, ISRAEL 
 
REF: VATICAN 565 ET AL. 
 
VATICAN 00000007  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
------------- 
Summary 
------------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Pope Benedict XVI reinforced once again his 
denunciation of terrorism and linked the ideal of truth to 
peace, freedom, justice, reconciliation and other vital aspects 
of a just society in his annual audience with diplomats 
accredited to the Holy See January 9.  The pope offered notable 
sound bites in several areas reflecting concordance with U.S. 
priorities, including terrorism, freedom of religion, and human 
trafficking.  Rumors are flying in Rome about an imminent 
consistory to name new cardinals, and observers continue to 
await the expected departure of Cardinal Secretary of State 
Sodano and a shake-up of the Roman Curia.  Along with the pope, 
however, Sodano held court as usual on one of the biggest days 
of the year for the Vatican diplomatic corps.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
Pope Accents Truth 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Pope Benedict XVI continued the theme of "truth" he 
accented in messages for World Peace Day and other recent events 
(reftels) in his annual address to diplomats accredited to the 
Holy See.  Complete text was sent to EUR/WE.  The pope linked 
the ideal of truth to peace, freedom, justice, reconciliation 
and other vital aspects of a just society.  He said it was the 
"common mission" of society to pursue these values.  As always 
occurs after a papal address, observers combed the text for 
ammunition to buttress their positions on various issues.  The 
pope offered notable sound bites in several areas reflecting 
concordance with U.S. priorities, including terrorism, freedom 
of religion, and human trafficking. 
 
------------- 
Terrorism 
------------- 
 
¶3.  (U)  Benedict continued his strong words against terrorism 
insisting that no circumstances could ever justify these violent 
acts.  He said terrorism targeted the innocent and defenseless 
"sowing panic among whole populations."  He found particularly 
odious the attempt by terrorists to "hide behind religion." 
According to Benedict, this was an attempt to make God's truth 
"fit one's own moral perversion."  The pope cited the danger of 
a clash of civilizations in today's "global context." 
 
----------------------------- 
Starvation, Trafficking 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The pope called attention to the plight of the 
world's poor and hungry, and said that "less than half of the 
immense sums spent worldwide on armaments would be more than 
sufficient to liberate the immense masses of the poor from 
destitution."  He spoke of the "distressing images" of refugees 
and displaced persons, and said the world could not "overlook 
the scourge of human trafficking, which remains a disgrace in 
our time."  [Note: In a statement released to the media later in 
the week, the Ambassador invoked the Pope Benedict's 
condemnation of human trafficking while calling attention to the 
President's signing of the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Reauthorization Act January 10.] 
 
--------------------------- 
Freedom of Religion for All 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The pope highlighted freedom of religion as deserving 
"pride of place" among the many important freedoms at risk in 
today's world.  Benedict cited the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights while making his points.  He did not single out any 
countries by name in noting that some states "seriously 
violated" the principles of religious freedom, but his reference 
to societies with "centuries-old cultural traditions" could well 
have been pointed at China and Saudi Arabia.  He noted that 
while the Holy See called for "true freedom for the Catholic 
Church everywhere," it also called religious freedom "for 
everyone." 
 
------ 
Israel 
------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The pope proclaimed that Israel "must be able to live 
in peace in accordance with international law" while the 
"Palestinian people" deserved the chance "to develop serenely" 
 
VATICAN 00000007  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
their own "democratic institutions for a free and prosperous 
future."  Some supporters of Israel applauded the 
straightforward point, but Israeli Ambassador Oded Ben-Hur 
complained to the media that the pope had not specifically 
condemned recent Iranian pronouncements against Israel, and its 
nuclear aspirations.  He later softened his comments.  [Note: 
The Holy See has maintained diplomatic relations with Iran for 
over 50 years.] 
 
------------- 
Hot Spots 
------------- 
 
¶7.  (U)  In calling attention to several troubled regions of the 
world, Benedict presented reconciliation and forgiveness as a 
way to overcome violence and discord.  He mentioned "the whole 
Middle East" and Africa, and pointed to Lebanon, the Great Lakes 
region of Africa, and Darfur by name.  He noted that Iraq "has 
suffered daily from violent acts of terrorism."  The pope gave a 
special vote of encouragement to the UN's recently-established 
peacebuilding commission, expressing his hope that it would 
"respond effectively [to the need for peace]...with the willing 
cooperation of all concerned." 
 
----------------------- 
Changes on the Horizon? 
----------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The papal remarks, delivered in French from the 
elegant Sala Regia adjoining the Sistine Chapel, were broadcast 
live on Italian television and received substantial play on the 
media.  Several media outlets highlighted the Ambassador's 
comments following the address, in which he emphasized Pope 
Benedict's message on terrorism, and the "common mission" shared 
by the U.S. and the Holy See to promote human dignity.  The 
audience for the diplomatic event, commonly regarded as the 
annual papal "state of the world" address, consisted of most 
ambassadors from the 174 countries enjoying diplomatic relations 
with the Holy See.  Most of these representatives attended a 
dinner the same evening in honor of the Cardinal Secretary of 
State (PM equivalent), Angelo Sodano.  Though Sodano is commonly 
acknowledged to be on his way out of the Secretariat of State, 
he gave no indication of it Monday, holding court with the 
ambassadors as usual. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  In addition to rumors of a Curial shake-up, there has 
been continued speculation about the pope's calling for a 
consistory to create new cardinals in the near future - perhaps 
in late February.  There are now 111 cardinals of voting age, 
and Vatican regulations allow for as many as 120.  The last 
consistory was in October 2003.  Among American hopefuls, former 
Archbishop of San Francisco William Levada (now occupying 
Benedict's old seat as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine 
of the Faith) would be the only lock for a red hat. 
ROONEY