Cablegate: Holy See and the Roadmap for Iraq Public Diplomacy

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 004444

SIPDIS

FOR EUR, EUR/PD, AND EUR/EEA -KALLEGRONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2012
TAGS: IZ KPAO OPRC PREL KPAO OPRC PREL VT VTIZ

SUBJECT: HOLY SEE AND THE ROADMAP FOR IRAQ PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

REF: A. A) STATE 169975

B. B) VATICAN 4398
C. C) VATICAN 4388
D. D) VATICAN 0444

CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, D. BRENT HARDT

1. (C) SUMMARY: THE HOLY SEE PRESENTS DISTINCTIVE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN REGARD TO IRAQ PUBLIC DIPLOMACY. UNLIKE MOST POSTS, OUR ""PUBLIC"" WITHIN THE VATICAN IS LIMITED, BUT THE PUBLIC REACH OF THE VATICAN IS TRULY GLOBAL AND AMONG THE
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MOST IMPORTANT VOICES WE CAN SEEK TO INFLUENCE. AS WE HAVE RECENTLY REPORTED (REFS B AND C), THE HOLY SEE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE IRAQI REGIME, BUT OPPOSED TO MILITARY ACTION BASED ON THE INFORMATION THEY HAVE AT THIS TIME. DESPITE ITS TRADITIONAL OPPOSITION TO THE USE OF FORCE, THE HOLY SEE'S FOREIGN MINISTER DID LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF MILITARY ACTION, BUT ONLY AFTER CONSIDERING THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE THE REGION, AND GLOBAL STABILITY, AND ONLY WITHIN A U.N. FRAMEWORK. OUR FIRST PUBLIC DIPLOMACY CHALLENGE IS THEREFORE TO MAKE OUR CASE FOR ACTION TO THE
POPE AND SENIOR VATICAN OFFICIALS. END SUMMARY.

---------------
MAKING OUR CASE
---------------

2. (C) THE HOLY SEE RECOGNIZES THE SECURITY RISK POSED BY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AND THE THREATS SADDAM POSES TO HIS PEOPLE AND THE REGION. THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE CONVINCED OF THE NATURE OF SADDAM'S CHARACTER, HIS HISTORY IN POWER, OR THE POTENTIAL RISKS THAT HE POSES. WHAT HAS BEEN LACKING,
FROM THE HOLY SEE'S PERSPECTIVE, BASED ON RECENT DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS BY SENIOR VATICAN OFFICIALS, IS THE FOLLOWING:

-- A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHY IRAQ CANNOT BE CONTAINED SHORT OF DIRECT MILITARY ACTION;

-- COMPELLING JUSTIFICATION AS TO WHY THE THREAT FROM IRAQ IS GREATER TODAY THAN DURING THE PAST SO THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ACTION;
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-- A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISKS AND POTENTIAL TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE, THE REGION, AND GLOBAL STABILITY OF BOTH TAKING ACTION VERSUS NOT TAKING ACTION (THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES THERE IS A GREAT RISK THAT MILITARY ACTION IN THE REGION COULD LEAD TO A MUCH LARGER CONFLAGRATION THAT COULD DRAW ISRAEL INTO WAR IN WAYS THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING);

-- A CONVINCING CASE THAT THE WORLD COMMUNITY HAS EXHAUSTED ALL OPTIONS AND MUST ACT TO AVERT A GREATER CALAMITY.

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ADDRESSING THE JUST WAR ISSUE
-----------------------------

3. (C) ULTIMATELY, THE HOLY SEE'S PUBLIC STANCE ON AN
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO IRAQ -- IN PARTICULAR WHETHER IT WILL EITHER ACQUIESCE IN OR SUPPORT MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ -- WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER SUCH A RESPONSE MEETS THE HOLY SEE'S JUST WAR DOCTRINE AS ENUNCIATED IN THE CATHOLIC CATECHISM. TO THE EXTENT THAT U.S. DIPLOMATIC AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY EFFORTS CAN MAKE THE CASE THAT SUCH ACTION MEETS THE JUST WAR CRITERIA, THE PROSPECTS FOR VATICAN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE NEED FOR ACTION WILL BE GREATER. REF D
OUTLINES THE JUST WAR DOCTRINE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE VALUE OF WORKING WITH THE HOLY SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO BUILD INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR CASE AGAINST IRAQ.

4. (C) THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE JUST WAR THEORY THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO MAKE INROADS WITH THE HOLY SEE
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INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

-- ANY MILITARY RESPONSE TO AN EVIL SHOULD NOT LEAD TO A
GREATER EVIL.

FM TAURAN REITERATED THIS SEPTEMBER 10 (REF B) IN AN IMPORTANT INTERVIEW IN THE ITALIAN, CHURCH-RELATED WEEKLY AVVENIRE. THIS TIES IN WITH THE HOLY SEE'S CONCERN ABOUT MILITARY ACTION PROVOKING A BROADER REGIONAL CONFLAGRATION, AND ITS FEAR FOR THE LIVES OF INNOCENTS THAT ANY MILITARY CONFLICT ENTAILS.

-- ANY FORCE USED SHOULD BE PROPORTIONAL TO THE DESIRED END.

IN THIS REGARD, THE HOLY SEE WOULD NEITHER ACQUIESCE IN NOR SUPPORT A MILITARY AIR CAMPAIGN THAT RESULTED IN MASSIVE IRAQI CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

-- JUST WAR CAN ONLY BE WAGED BY A LEGAL AUTHORITY.

THE DEFINITION OF A LEGAL AUTHORITY IS OPEN TO DEBATE, BUT FM

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PAGE 01 VATICA 04444 02 OF 02 130613Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 IRM-00 USIE-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
SAS-00 /004W
------------------E6BE02 130613Z /38
P 130455Z SEP 02
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 004444

SIPDIS

FOR EUR, EUR/PD, AND EUR/EEA -KALLEGRONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2012
TAGS: IZ KPAO OPRC PREL KPAO OPRC PREL VT VTIZ
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE AND THE ROADMAP FOR IRAQ PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

TAURAN'S INSISTENCE THAT ANY MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ ""SHOULD ONLY BE TAKEN AFTER A DECISION TAKEN IN THE UN FRAMEWORK,"" MAKES CLEAR THAT IN THIS CASE THE HOLY SEE REGARDS THE U.N. AS THE RELEVANT LEGAL AUTHORITY TO SANCTION ANY MILITARY MOVE AGAINST SADDAM.

-- ALL OTHER REMEDIES MUST BE EXHAUSTED BEFORE RESORT TO MILITARY FORCE.

TAURAN AND OTHER OFFICIALS HAVE QUESTIONED WHETHER RECOURSE TO THE MILITARY OPTION IS THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE TO THE
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PAGE 02 VATICA 04444 02 OF 02 130613Z
WORLD COMMUNITY OR THE MOST APPROPRIATE MEANS TO ENSURE A TRUE PEACE. THE HOLY SEE PREFERS DIALOGUE AND ENGAGEMENT WITHIN A FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND CLEARLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PURSUE OTHER FORMS OF PRESSURE MORE EXHAUSTIVELY BEFORE MOVING TO A MILITARY OPTION.

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INFLUENCING THE HOLY SEE'S PUBLIC POSITION
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5. (C) THE HOLY SEE NATURALLY VIEWS ITS ROLE AS THAT OF AN INTERNATIONAL VOICE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION AND A ""BUILDER OF BRIDGES"" BETWEEN PEOPLES. IN ADDITION, THE POPE HAS LABORED HARD TO AVOID A GLOBAL DRIFT TOWARD A ""CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS."" THIS CONCERN NOT ONLY REFLECTS THE HOLY SEE'S TRADITIONAL CONCERN FOR THE PHYSICAL SAFETY OF CATHOLICS IN COUNTRIES WHERE THEY ARE A MINORITY, BUT ALSO ITS ROLE AS A MORAL AND SPIRITUAL VOICE FOR MANKIND. AS A FIRST STEP IN BUILDING SUPPORT WITHIN THE HOLY SEE, WE REITERATE OUR REQUEST FOR SENIOR LEVEL BRIEFINGS THE
RATIONALE FOR ACTION, THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF ACTION ON THE REGION, AND PROSPECTS FOR STABILITY AFTER MILITARY ACTION.

6. (C) IN THE SAME WAY THE USG DEVELOPED A MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL DIALOGUE WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II DURING THE COLD WAR, POST BELIEVES A SIMILAR DIALOGUE ON THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO TERRORISM WOULD OFFER SIMILAR MUTUAL BENEFITS. HIGH-LEVEL BRIEFINGS WOULD UNDERSCORE OUR DEEP REFLECTION ON THE MATTER AND LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR FURTHER POSITIVE
DIALOGUE.

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7. (C) BEYOND SUCH DIRECT USG ENGAGEMENT, U.S. EXPERTS ON JUST WAR SUCH AS MICHAEL NOVAK ALREADY HAVE A STRONG REPUTATION WITHIN THE HOLY SEE. A PUBLIC DIPLOMACY CAMPAIGN SHOULD SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR VIEWS AND PERHAPS EVEN SOLICIT THEM AS SPEAKERS AND INTERLOCUTORS FOR THE EMBASSY AND HOLY
SEE. IN ADDITION, PROMINENT FOREIGN POLICY AUTHORITIES SUCH AS HENRY KISSINGER AND ZBIGNIEW BREZEZINSKI HAVE INDEPENDENT ACCESS TO THE HOLY SEE AND SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS ON IRAQ AND THE NEED TO RESPOND TO TERRORISM
DIRECTLY.

HARDT

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2002VATICA04444 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL

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