Cablegate: Cuba - Pope Attacks Us Embargo and Communism

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

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2001VATICA03619 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

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