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Viewing cable 09VATICAN131, POPE SEEKS GREATER FREEDOM FOR CHURCH IN CUBA, END TO

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09VATICAN131 2009-12-15 15:59 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Vatican
VZCZCXRO6719
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHROV #0131/01 3491559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 151559Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1209
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0045
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0106
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 1248
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000131 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PINR ETRD CU VT
SUBJECT: POPE SEEKS GREATER FREEDOM FOR CHURCH IN CUBA, END TO 
EMBARGO 
 
VATICAN 00000131  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) Making a strong appeal for greater religious freedom in 
 
Cuba, Pope Benedict XVI vigorously defended the role of the 
Catholic 
 
Church in Cuba during the December 10 presentation of 
credentials by 
 
the country's new Ambassador to the Holy See, Eduardo Delgado 
 
Bermudez.  While the Pope expressed gratitude for increased 
 
cooperation between the Catholic Church and the GOC, he 
articulated 
 
the Holy See's desire for an eventual formal agreement allowing 
the 
 
Church complete freedom to operate "following forms similar to 
those 
 
established with other States."  Holy See officials have told 
 
Embassy Vatican previously that it is important for the Holy See 
to 
 
reemphasize its position on Cuba every so often, particularly 
its 
 
desire for greater religious freedom, but without expecting any 
real 
 
short-term gains. 
 
 
 
2. (U) Turning to Cuban-U.S. relations, Pope Benedict told 
Eduardo 
 
Delgado Bermudez that "certain signs of openness in [Cuba's] 
 
relations with the neighbouring United States presage new 
 
opportunities for a mutually beneficial rapprochement."  Quoting 
his 
 
predecessor, John Paul II, the Pope urged Cuba to open up to the 
 
world and the world to open up to Cuba. Keeping to the Holy 
See's 
 
long-standing policy, the Pontiff criticized the U.S. embargo on 
 
Cuba saying it had its biggest negative impact on the poor. 
(Note: 
 
Official remarks at Holy See credential ceremonies are exchanged 
but 
 
not read aloud at the time. End note) 
 
 
 
3. (SBU) In remarks eerily similar to his predecessor's four 
years 
 
earlier, Ambassador Delgado lauded Fidel Castro's untiring work 
to 
 
make the world a better place, and expressed Cuba's appreciation 
for 
 
the Catholic Church's work on the island, particularly its 
 
charitable and humanitarian efforts. The new ambassador said the 
 
U.S. embargo "constituted an act of genocide" because it caused 
 
hunger, sickness and poverty for the "heroic and generous" Cuban 
 
people.  Delgado effusively praised Pope Benedict's recent 
 
encyclical letter on social issues, "Caritas in Veritate," 
implying 
 
that the Church and the revolution promoted the same agenda. 
 
Delgado compared the 58,000 Cubans working abroad in "aid and 
 
 
VATICAN 00000131  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
development projects" to Catholic missionaries "offering 
assistance 
 
in the remotest areas of the world." 
 
 
 
4. (SBU) Comment.  Comparing an atheist, revolution-exporting, 
human 
 
rights-violating regime's mercenaries to Catholic missionaries 
is a 
 
bit of a stretch, in our view.  But the Ambassador's comments 
 
drawing parallels between "Caritas in Veritate" and Cuban 
 
revolutionary goals may have been a subtle cry for help to 
Church 
 
organizations like Caritas to provide assistance to the poor in 
 
Cuba, as Cuban social services are failing.  End comment. 
 
 
 
5. (U) Biographical information: Ambassador Eduardo Delgado 
Bermudez 
 
previously served as Director General of the Cuban Foreign 
Ministry. 
 
 He holds a degree in history, served as an officer in the 
 
Revolutionary Armed Forces, and was Cuba's ambassador to Japan. 
He 
 
has lectured in history and international affairs, was an 
advisor on 
 
political and economic issues for Cuba's aid and development 
 
outreach to Asia, Oceania and Africa, and served as section 
chief at 
 
the Ministry of Foreign Trade.  He was born February 20, 1943 
and is 
 
married with one daughter. 
DIAZ