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Viewing cable 03VATICAN1694, REINVIGORATED POPE WELCOMES END OF WAR, CONDEMNS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
03VATICAN1694 2003-04-22 13:44 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Vatican
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 001694 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), NEA/NGA, NEA/IAI 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM IS WE IZ PHUM IS WE IZ VT VTPREL
SUBJECT:  REINVIGORATED POPE WELCOMES END OF WAR, CONDEMNS 
TERRORISM AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN EASTER MESSAGES 
 
REF:  VATICAN 1570 
 
------- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  01694  01 OF 02  221342Z 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (U)  A VIGOROUS POPE JOHN PAUL II PRESIDED OVER THE 
VATICAN'S EASTER WEEK SERVICES, USING HIS HOMILIES AND 
EASTER MESSAGE TO FOCUS GLOBAL ATTENTION ON THE HOLY SEE'S 
TOP INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS:  RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ, PEACE 
IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CONDEMNATION OF TERRORISM AND RELIGIOUS 
VIOLENCE, AND THE NEED TO AVOID A CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS. 
THE POPE ALSO CAUTIONED AGAINST NEGLECTING LESS PROMINENT 
CONFLICTS IN AFRICA, ASIA, AND LATIN AMERICA.  HIS MESSAGES 
REINFORCE THE VATICAN'S FORWARD-LOOKING AGENDA IN THE WAKE 
OF THE IRAQ WAR, AND ITS DESIRE TO REFOCUS INTERNATIONAL 
ATTENTION ON ITS BROADER AGENDA AFTER MONTHS OF INTENSE 
FOCUS ON IRAQ.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------- 
REBUILDING IRAQ FOR IRAQIS 
-------------------------- 
 
2. (U) IN HIS EASTER MESSAGE "TO THE CITY AND THE WORLD", 
THE POPE EVOKED CHEERS FROM THE THOUSANDS IN ST. PETER'S 
SQUARE WITH HIS DECLARATORY STATEMENT: "PEACE IN IRAQ."  HE 
URGED THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE, "WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY," SHOULD BECOME "THE PROTAGONISTS 
OF THE COLLECTIVE REBUILDING OF THEIR COUNTRY."  THE FUTURE 
OF IRAQ WAS ALSO AT THE CENTER OF THE GOOD FRIDAY HOMILY -- 
TRADITIONALLY PREACHED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE POPE BY A 
PAPAL HOUSEHOLD PREACHER.  THIS YEAR'S PREACHER, CAPUCHIN 
FATHER RANIERO CANTALAMESSA, WHILE NEVER MENTIONING IRAQ OR 
THE UNITED STATES BY NAME, QUOTED JOHN LENNON, JEAN-PAUL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  01694  01 OF 02  221342Z 
SARTRE AND ST. AUGUSTINE, AND ASSERTED THAT "EVERY NATION 
HAS THE RIGHT TO GOVERN ITSELF."  CANTALAMESSA STRESSED THE 
DIFFICULTY OF IDENTIFYING THE ENEMY "WHERE TERRORISM IS 
CONCERNED."  HE ALSO OBSERVED THAT SOMEONE ONCE CRITICIZED 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN FOR BEING TOO COURTEOUS TO HIS ENEMIES AND 
TOLD LINCOLN THAT HIS JOB AS PRESIDENT WAS TO DESTROY THEM. 
LINCOLN ANSWERED, "DO I NOT DESTROY MY ENEMIES WHEN I MAKE 
THEM MY FRIENDS?"  THE PAPAL PREACHER THEN ASKED: "WILL 
THAT GREAT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES FIND SOMEONE TO 
TAKE UP THE TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE?" 
 
--------------------------- 
REFOCUSING ON GLOBAL AGENDA 
--------------------------- 
 
3.  (U) THE POPE'S EASTER MESSAGE ALSO SOUGHT TO REFOCUS 
ATTENTION TO THE "FORGOTTEN WARS AND PROTRACTED 
HOSTILITIES" BRINGING SUFFERING, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN 
VARIOUS PARTS OF AFRICA, ASIA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE 
CAUCASUS REGION OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION "AMID SILENCE 
AND NEGLECT ON THE PART OF CONSIDERABLE SECTORS OF PUBLIC 
OPINION."  RETURNING TO ONE OF THE VATICAN'S GREATEST 
PREOCCUPATIONS, THE PONTIFF DECLARED THAT VIOLENCE AND 
BLOODSHED IN THE HOLY LAND "WITH NO SIGN OF CEASING" WERE 
CAUSING HIM "PROFOUND GRIEF." 
 
4.  (U) THE POPE REITERATED HIS CONSISTENT REJECTION OF 
TERRORISM "WHICH THREATENS THE ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE 
HUMAN FAMILY" AND URGED FOLLOWERS OF ALL RELIGIONS TO 
PROMOTE DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING AND TO WORK TOGETHER FOR 
A "NEW ERA OF JUSTICE AND PEACE."   HE ALSO PRAYED FOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  01694  01 OF 02  221342Z 
DELIVERANCE FROM "THE PERIL OF A TRAGIC CLASH BETWEEN 
CULTURES AND RELIGIONS."  PRAYERS WERE OFFERED FOR ALL 
SOLDIERS THAT "THEY WOULD NOURISH IN THE MINDS AND HEARTS 
THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT VENGEANCE" AND THAT THEY WORK FOR 
"RECONSTRUCTION AND LIFE." 
 
5.  (U) THE VATICAN'S BROAD INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS ALSO 
FOUND AN ECHO IN THE SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE GOOD 
FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS CEREMONY AT ROME'S COLISEUM. 
THOSE CARRYING THE CROSS IN PROCESSION AROUND THE COLISEUM 
INCLUDED A WOMAN FROM COLOMBIA, MEN FROM SIERRA LEONE AND 
LIBERIA, FRANCISCAN FRIARS FROM THE HOLY LAND, AND AN 
ENGAGED COUPLE AND A WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER WHO HAD FLED 
IRAQ BEFORE THE WAR BEGAN.  INTRODUCING THE SERVICE, THE 
POPE IMPLORED GOD'S ATTENTION TO "THE BLOOD SHED BY THE 
MANY VICTIMS OF HATRED, WAR AND TERRORISM." 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
6. (SBU) THE POPE'S EASTER SERVICES ARE BROADCAST VIA 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9144 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  01694  02 OF 02  221343Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00 
      DOTE-00  WHA-00   SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FAAE-00  UTED-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   VCE-00   NEA-00 
      DCP-01   NSAE-00  DHS-00   PA-00    TEST-00  DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-01   G-00     SAS-00   SWCI-00    /003W 
                  ------------------59517F  221352Z /38 
R 221344Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE 
ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE 
USINT HAVANA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001694 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI), NEA/NGA, NEA/IAI 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM IS WE IZ PHUM IS WE IZ VT VTPREL
SUBJECT:  REINVIGORATED POPE WELCOMES END OF WAR, CONDEMNS 
TERRORISM AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN EASTER MESSAGES 
 
SATELLITE TO A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN 
A BILLION PEOPLE.  THIS GLOBAL STAGE OFFERED THE PERFECT 
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HOLY SEE TO REINFORCE ITS GLOBAL REACH 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  01694  02 OF 02  221343Z 
AND CONCERN, AND TO CALL INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC ATTENTION TO 
AREAS THE VATICAN BELIEVES REQUIRE THE MOST URGENT 
ATTENTION.  THE ABSENCE OF DIRECT CRITICISM ABOUT THE 
SITUATION IN IRAQ AND THE CLEAR EFFORT TO BROADEN GLOBAL 
FOCUS BEYOND IRAQ REINFORCES THE MESSAGE CONVEYED TO U/S 
BOLTON RECENTLY (REFTEL) OF A VATICAN SEEKING TO MOVE 
BEYOND RECENT TENSIONS OVER IRAQ AND REINVIGORATE 
COOPERATION TO ADDRESS OTHER TROUBLE SPOTS AND LONG-RANGE 
PRIORITIES.  THROUGHOUT THIS PHYSICALLY DEMANDING PERIOD, 
THE POPE APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL FORM, FREQUENTLY 
RAISING HIS VOICE FOR EMPHASIS AND EXTEMPORIZING IN 
RESPONSE TO ACTIONS FROM THE FAITHFUL.  THE POPE'S 
PARTICIPATION WAS FACILITATED THIS YEAR WITH A NEW MOBILE 
PAPAL THRONE THAT CAN BE RAISED AND LOWERED ACCORDING TO 
LITURGICAL REQUIREMENTS.  END COMMENT. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2003VATICA01694 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED