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 004398
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR S-CKELLY, EUR/WE-MENNUTI NEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM IZ IS
SUBJECT: ONE YEAR AFTER SEPTEMBER 11: HOLY SEE FM WELCOMES
GLOBAL CONDEMNATION OF TERROR; CAUTIONS AGAINST ACTION IN
IRAQ WITHOUT U.N.
REF: VATICAN 4388
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SUMMARY
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PAGE 02 VATICA 04398 01 OF 02 110710Z
1. (U) SUMMARY: IN AN INTERVIEW PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 10,
VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTER JEAN LOUIS TAURAN PRAISED THE
UNIVERSAL CONDEMNATION OF TERRORISM THAT HAS FOLLOWED
SEPTEMBER 11, WHILE CAUTIONING THAT ANY DECISION TO USE FORCE
AGAINST IRAQ MUST BE TAKEN WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE UNITED
NATIONS. HE OBSERVED THAT ACTION AGAINST IRAQ MUST BE
WEIGHED AGAINST THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ,
COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, AND GLOBAL STABILITY, BUT DID NOT
RULE OUT MILITARY ACTION IF IT OCCURED IN A UN FRAMEWORK. IN
HIS STRONGEST WARNING, TAURAN STATED THAT "ONE CANNOT COMBAT
EVIL WITH ANOTHER EVIL, ADDING EVIL TO EVIL." TAURAN POINTED
TO THE POPE'S DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE IN ASSISI AND HIS
EFFORTS TO PROMOTE INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AS HELPING TO
SPREAD THE VIEW THAT RELIGION SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO JUSTIFY
VIOLENCE. END SUMMARY.
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GOODNESS FROM EVIL
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2. (U) IN A WIDE-RANGING INTERVIEW PUBLISHED ON THE EVE OF
THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS, HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINSTER
JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN PROVIDED A BROAD ASSESSMENT OF THE HOLY
SEE'S VIEW OF THE POST-SEPTEMBER 11 INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE,
ENCOMPASSING THE WAR ON TERRORISM, THE SITUATION IN IRAQ, THE
MIDDLE EAST, AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND THE
MUSLIM WORLD. LOOKING BACK ON SEPTEMBER 11, TAURAN SAID THE
"ABOMINABLE ACTION" HAD LED TO THREE IMPORTANT CHANGES IN
INTERNATIONAL ATTITUDES: FIRST, IT HAD LED TO A UNIVERSAL
CONDEMNATION OF TERRORISM; SECOND, IT HAD CONTRIBUTED TO
BETTER JURIDICAL DEFINITIONS OF TERRORISM; AND THIRD, IT HAD
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HELPED FOCUS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE CAUSES OF
INHUMANE VIOLENCE. FURTHERMORE, TAURAN ASSERTED THAT
SEPTEMBER 11 HAD STRENGTHENED THE RECOGNITION AMONG LEADERS
OF ALL FAITHS AND NATIONS THAT "RELIGION CAN NEVER BE USED TO
JUSTIFY TERRORISM AND THAT ALL BELIEVERS HAVE THE COMMON
RESPONSIBILITY TO DISARM HATRED." HE NOTED THAT THERE HAS
BEEN A CHORUS OVER THE PAST YEAR AMONG BELIEVERS OF ALL
FAITHS -- PARTICULARLY CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS, AND JEWS -- THAT
LIFE IS SACRED AND COMES FROM GOD. AS A RESULT, RELIGIOUS
LEADERS HAVE STEPPED UP EFFORTS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT ALL
VIOLENCE IS CONTRARY TO GOD'S LAW, AND MUST BE RESOLVED
THROUGH DIALOGUE AND JUSTICE.
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DON'T ISOLATE IRAQ
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3. (U) TURNING TO IRAQ, TAURAN EXPRESSED THE HOLY SEE'S
CONCERN ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF MILITARY ACTION, BUT,
SIGNIFICANTLY, LEFT THE DOOR OPEN TO THE USE OF FORCE IF IT
OCCURRED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS. TAURAN
OBSERVED THAT THE HOLY SEE ALWAYS FAVORED DIALOGUE, AND
CAUTIONED AGAINST ISOLATING IRAQ. "OBVIOUSLY, YOU CANNOT
COMBAT EVIL WITH ANOTHER EVIL, HEAPING EVIL UPON EVIL,"
TAURAN STATED, QUOTING FROM THE HOLY SEE'S "JUST WAR"
DOCTRINE. HOWEVER, TAURAN CONTINUED, "IF REFLECTING
INTERNATIONAL LAW AND IN PARTICULAR RESOLUTIONS OF THE UN
SECURITY COUNCIL, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY JUDGES IT
OPPORTUNE TO RESORT TO PROPORTIONATE USE OF FORCE, SUCH AN
ACTION MUST TAKE PLACE WITH A DECISION TAKEN BY THE UN, AFTER
HAVING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CIVIL
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POPULATION OF IRAQ, COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, AND GLOBAL
STABILITY." ULTIMATELY, HE QUESTIONED WHETHER THE TYPE OF
OPERATIONS NOW BEING CONSIDERED WOULD GIVE RISE TO LASTING
PEACE, ADDING, "WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONFUSE JUSTICE
WITH VENDETTA AND ENSURE THAT ENTIRE POPULATIONS DO NOT PAY
FOR THE CRUELTY OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTACKS."
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FIGHTING TERROR IS NOT FIGHTING ISLAM
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4. (U) ASKED ABOUT THE HOLY SEE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISLAM
AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, TAURAN SAID IT WAS NOW EVEN MORE CLEAR
THAT FIGHTING AGAINST TERROR DOES NOT MEAN FIGHTING ISLAM.
HE NOTED THAT AMERICAN BISHOPS MADE THIS CLEAR AFTER
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2002VATICA04398 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED