Viewing cable 01VATICAN1390, FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN'S VISIT TO IRAN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001390
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE); NEA/IAI; NEA/NGA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/11
TAGS: PREL PHUM KIRF IT IS SY VT
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN'S VISIT TO IRAN
¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE
FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) AND (D).
¶2. (C) CHARGE CALLED ON VATICAN DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE
EASTERN AFFAIRS MONS. GIANNI D'ANIELLO ON MARCH 12 TO
DISCUSS FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN'S MARCH 3-8 TRIP TO IRAN.
D'ANIELLO, WHO ACCOMPANIED THE FOREIGN MINISTER,
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PAGE 02 VATICA 01390 121701Z
CATEGORIZED THE VISIT AS "HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL". HE SAID
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WAS TO LOBBY FOR INCREASED
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR CATHOLICS, AS WELL AS FOR OTHER
CHRISTIANS IN IRAN. ACCORDING TO D'ANIELLO, THE LARGEST
GROUPS IN COMMUNION WITH ROME ARE THE CHALDEANS, SOME
MELKITES, AND EUROPEANS WHO WOULD BE MEMBERS OF THE LATIN
CHURCH. TWO OTHER MAIN BODIES OF CHRISTIANS ON WHOSE
BEHALF THE VATICAN WANTED TO SPEAK ARE THE ASSYRIAN
CHURCH OF THE EAST, AND THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH.
D'ANIELLO SAID THAT IN GENERAL, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR
THESE CHRISTIAN GROUPS WAS NOT GREATLY CURTAILED, AND THE
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT PROMISED EVEN GREATER LATITUDE. HE
SAID THAT HE AND TAURAN FOUND STATEMENTS BY GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS INDICATIVE OF AN EVOLVING OPENNESS ON THE PART
OF IRAN, BUT ADDED THAT THE VATICAN IS STILL UNSURE IF WE
CAN EXPECT CONTINUED OPENNESS OR A RETURN TO MORE
REACTIONARY POLICIES.
¶3. (C) D'ANIELLO SAID THAT TAURAN RAISED THE SITUATION OF
THE IRANIAN JEWS WHO WERE SENTENCED FOR SPYING FOR ISRAEL
DIRECTLY IN A PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT
KHATAMI. HE SAID THE PRESIDENT WAS NONCOMMITTAL.
HOWEVER, ON THE ISSUE OF THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS,
D'ANIELLO SAID THAT IRAN AGREES WITH THE VATICAN, THAT
THE VIOLENCE MUST END AND THAT THE TWO PARTIES RESUME
NEGOTIATIONS. D'ANIELLO USED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY
THAT HE "WASN'T SPEAKING OFFICIALLY" BUT THAT THE VATICAN
IS HAVING INCREASED CONCERNS THAT IN AN ULTIMATE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, THE CHRISTIANS OF
JERUSALEM WILL BE "LEFT OUT". HE ASKED THAT WE PAY
ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF ALL THREE RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN
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PAGE 03 VATICA 01390 121701Z
ANY DISCUSSIONS IN WHICH THE U.S MIGHT TAKE PART. (NOTE:
THIS DIM VIEW OF THE MEPP WAS ALSO REFLECTED IN A 3/11
DINNER CONVERSATION ACTING DCM HAD WITH ISRAELI EMBASSY
DCM. THE ISRAELI DCM RELATED THAT THE VATICAN HAD
REBUFFED THE ISRAELI EMBASSY'S ATTEMPTS TO SECURE A
LOCATION IN VATICAN CITY TO HOLD AN EVENT COMMEMORATING
THE LST ANNIVERSARY OF THE POPE'S VISIT, SAYING THAT THE
HOLY SEE DID NOT "VIEW THAT VISIT AS A SUCCESS.")
¶4. (C) CHARGE CALLED AUSTRIAN DCM LATER IN THE DAY TO GET
READOUT OF FM TAURAN'S MORNING BRIEFING ON THE TRIP TO EU
EMBASSIES. ACCORDING TO AUSTRIAN DCM, TAURAN SAID HE
RAISED 1) IMPORTATION OF BIBLES; 2) THE NEED FOR A
JUDICIAL STATUS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRAN; 3)
RETURN OF SOME PROPERTIES CONFISCATED AFTER THE 1979
REVOLUTION. HE ALSO TOLD THE EU AMBASSADORS THAT KHATAMI
SAID THE SENTENCES OF THE IRANIAN JEWS WERE "FINAL", BUT
"EARLY PARDON" SHOULD NOT BE RULED OUT.
¶5. (C) D'ANIELLO ALSO USED THE VISIT TO PRESENT A NOTE
VERBALE ON THE CASE OF ZIVKOVICH AND ALPERIN VS. THE
IOR.(SEPTEL TO FOLLOW, NOTE FAXED TO EUR/WE, L/DL 3/12).
¶6. (C) COMMENT: A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY GOAL OF THE
VATICAN IS PROTECTION OF THE CHRISTIANS IN ISLAMIC
COUNTRIES. THUS, IN THOSE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES, SUCH AS
IRAN AND IRAQ, IN WHICH THE VATICAN BELIEVES THE STATUS
OF CHRISTIANS IS NOT GREATLY COMPROMISED, WE SHOULD
EXPECT VATICAN ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT. MERANTE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 VATICA 01390 121701Z
CONFIDENTIAL
>
2001VATICA01390 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
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