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Viewing cable 01VATICAN3619, CUBA - POPE ATTACKS US EMBARGO AND COMMUNISM

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
01VATICAN3619 2001-07-09 15:16 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Vatican
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS VATICAN 003619 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE, WHA/CCA, EUR/PD/PA, DRL/IRF 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 112/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID ETTC CU VT
SUBJECT: CUBA - POPE ATTACKS US EMBARGO AND COMMUNISM 
 
1.   POPE JOHN PAUL II HAS RE-ISSUED A STRONG CONDEMNATION 
OF THE US ECONOMIC EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA. SPEAKING AT A JULY 
6 AUDIENCE WITH CUBAN BISHOPS VISITING VATICAN CITY THE POPE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  03619  091432Z 
REPEATED HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBARGO AS "UNJUST AND 
ETHICALLY UNACCEPTABLE," AND THAT THE "RESTRICTIVE ECONOMIC 
MEASURE WAS IMPOSED FROM OUTSIDE" - THE SAME WORDS THE 
PONTIFF USED IN CUBA DURING HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS JANUARY 1, 
1998. 
 
2.   THE POPE WENT ON TO SUBTLY DENOUNCE COMMUNISM SAYING 
THAT THE WORLD WAS TIRED OF "THE OLD IDEOLOGIES" WHICH HAVE 
LOST THEIR INITIAL FASCINATION AND HAVE LEFT MANY PEOPLE 
EXPERIENCING A DEEP EMPTINESS AND A LACK OF MEANING IN THEIR 
LIVES. HE SAID CUBA'S PEOPLE HAD A RIGHT TO FREEDOM AND THAT 
THE CHURCH WOULD ACT IN THE NAME OF CHRIST TO FREE PEOPLE 
FROM EVERY FORM OF OPPRESSION. 
 
3.   SOME PRESS REPORTS SUGGESTED THE EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA 
COULD BE ON THE AGENDA JULY 23 FOR THE POTUS MEETING WITH 
POPE JOHN PAUL II. POST CONSIDERS IT UNLIKELY THAT THE POPE 
WILL DO MORE THAN OBLIQUELY MENTION EMBARGOES' NEGATIVE 
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR CIVILIAN POPULATIONS DURING HIS 
FIRST MEETING WITH POTUS. 
MERANTE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA03619 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED