VZCZCXRO9977
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHSR
DE RUEHROV #0058 0791017
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201017Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0685
INFO RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE PRIORITY 0001
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0004
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0715

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000058 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  3/20/2032 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI ZI ZU SF UK VT
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: HOLY SEE TO SPEAK OUT? 
 
REF: Martin-Larrea-Hill Feb 8 emails 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
¶1.  (U)  This telegram contains a recommendation and action 
request below. 
 
 
 
--------------- 
 
Background 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  (C)  Post noted in early February that the Holy See was 
considering speaking out on Zimbabwe (reftel).  The issue is now 
on the front burner.  A senior cardinal in the Roman Curia 
(Vatican bureaucracy) met with Pope Benedict March 17 and made 
the case that the Catholic Church had an obligation to speak out 
on  the current ills in that country.  The UK Embassy has also 
pressed the Holy See on the same issue. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------ 
 
Recommendation and Request for Points / Guidance 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------ 
 
 
 
¶3.  (C)  As the Holy See is actively considering how to approach 
the issue, Post recommends 
 
- Embassy Vatican demarche the Holy See to take whatever action 
the Department deems appropriate -- most likely for the pope to 
speak out at a highly visible opportunity. 
 
- Embassies Harare and Pretoria approach the papal nuncios in 
Zimbabwe and South Africa in a coordinated effort to spur the 
Holy See to action.  We understand the UK is considering doing 
the same. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (C)  Nuncios Edward Adams (Zimbabwe) and James Green (S.A.) 
are both Americans (from Philadelphia).  People here tell us 
Adams is not very active, but we know Green to be a dynamo who 
only recently transferred from a top position here in the Curia. 
 His push could help. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (C)  Any demarche should let the Holy See draw its own 
conclusions on when to speak out, but for background, a prime 
opportunity for a papal intervention is Pope Benedict's Easter 
Urbi et Orbi ("To the City and to the World") address April 8, 
during which the pontiff typically mentions trouble spots around 
the world.  He has also used his Wednesday audiences to make 
similar comments.  In either case, with the slow-moving Vatican 
bureaucracy, we ought to move fast. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U)  Post awaits guidance on this issue. 
 
SANDROLINI