Cable: Vatican backs Turkey integration with EU

[birther truther tenther]

http://213.251.145.96/cable/2006/12/06VATICAN256.html

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000256

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EO 12958 DECL:  12/7/2016
TAGS SOCI, PHUM, TU, VT
SUBJECT: TURKEY: VATICAN BACKS INTEGRATION

REF: A. A: VATICAN 249
 ¶B. B: ANKARA 6593, ET AL.
VATICAN 00000256 001.2 OF 002

CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)

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Summary
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¶1. (C) While not officially endorsing Turkey’s entry into the EU (ref a), the Holy See continues to support the dialogue and reform process connected to the issue. Top officials, including the pope, have spoken positively in public and private about European integration. Although they are critical of the religious freedom situation in Turkey, officials recognize that the EU entry process offers an opportunity to bring Turkey along on these matters. In his December 6 audience, the pope expressed emphasized his hope that Turkey would be a “bridge of friendship and of fraternal cooperation between the East and West.” Post continues to engage on the issue, focusing on the opportunity presented by integration and EU entry to ameliorate the situation for Catholics and other Christians in Turkey. A high-level visit from the Department could be very helpful in highlighting the matter for the Holy See and eliciting further useful public and private comments. Please see paragraphs 5-6 for action request.

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“Positive” Process
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¶2. (C) Holy See Undersecretary for Relations with States (Deputy FM equivalent) Pietro Parolin told the Charge December 6 that the Holy See continues to support the “positive” process of dialogue and reform connected to Turkey’s EU bid . (Recent public statements from other Holy See officials have borne a similar positive message on European integration.) The Vatican’s position on Turkey’s EU accession has not changed (ref a), despite inaccurate media reports following Pope Benedict’s meeting with PM Erdogan . In fact, neither the pope nor the Vatican have endorsed Turkey’s EU membership per se; rather, the Holy See has been consistently open to accession, emphasizing only that Turkey needs to fulfill the EU’s Copenhagen criteria to take its place in Europe. If that occurs, Parolin reiterated, “we would see no obstacle” to Turkey’s joining the EU -- a development which, he agreed, has the potential to promote greater rights for religious minorities in Turkey.

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Caveats
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¶3. (C) Parolin does have some concerns about the situation. One great fear is that Turkey could enter the EU without having made the necessary advances in religious freedom. He insisted that EU members - and the U.S. - continue to press the GoT on these issues. We noted that the continuing dialogue and process for EU entry provide just such a forum for this pressure, and cautioned that deadlines and ultimatums would be counterproductive -- robbing Turkey of a powerful incentive to enact needed reforms, and depriving the West of valuable leverage on the issue. Parolin took the point, but said that short of “open persecution”, it couldn’t get much worse for the Christian community in Turkey, where limited property rights and other factors have left Christians enjoying “freedom of belief, but hardly a full freedom of religion”. Other Vatican officials expressed disappointment to us over President Sezer’s veto of nine articles of the recently passed Foundations Law affecting religious minorities (ref b). Parolin noted that a list of particular problems -- outlined in a document put out by the Turkish Catholic bishops two years ago -- remains valid today as an explanation of the troubles Catholics face in Turkey.

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Pope Speaks Again
VATICAN 00000256 002.2 OF 002
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¶4. (C) Parolin confirmed that the pope’s trip to Turkey had been very positive for inter-religious relations. The “tense atmosphere” in Turkey preceding the visit may have eased somewhat. With regard to Erdogan’s incorrect assertion that the pope had expressed his specific support for Turkey’s EU membership, Parolin expressed certainty that the PM hadn’t misunderstood the pontiff; but probably just wanted to get some good media coverage from the meeting. The pope expressed the “same position we have always had”, though perhaps in a “nicer way”. The general message from the Holy See on the issue, in any case, has been positive. At his weekly audience December 6, the pope expressed his hope for “joint Christian and Muslim action on behalf of human rights” and emphasized his hope that Turkey would be a “bridge of friendship and of fraternal cooperation between the East and West.”

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Comment and Action Request
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¶5. (C) The Holy See will not officially endorse Turkey’s EU entry, but positive comments from the pope and other officials in support of the dialogue and reforms that are part of integration and the entry process receive a lot of play in the European media. The pope’s Regensburg speech , which made clear that he is not naove about the challenges presented by Islam, gives added heft to his favorable words on Turkey. Private comments from Vatican officials to European diplomats here also carry some weight - particularly in the traditionally Catholic countries. Our emphasis on using integration and EU entry as an opportunity to make life better for Christians in Turkey, will resonate with the Vatican, and could lead to more Holy See action, both public and private. Despite Parolin’s insistence that those in favor of Turkey’s EU entry must do more to push for reforms, he is on the same page with us on the overarching issue: in essence, both Turkey and Europe need to see diversity as a strength, not a threat.

¶6. (C) At this critical juncture we have an opportunity to catalyze a more active Holy See voice on Turkey. We hope a senior Department official such as A/S Fried or DAS Bryza can visit in the near future to highlight the matter for the Holy See and encourage them to do more to push a positive message on Turkey and integration. SANDROLINI

[birther truther tenther]

http://213.251.145.96/cable/2006/12/06VATICAN249.html

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000249

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/1/2016
TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI TU VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN: ENCOURAGEMENT, BUT NO CHANGE ON TURKEY/EU POLICY

REF: A) ANKARA 6529; B) 04 VATICAN 1164; C) 04 VATICAN 3196

VATICAN 00000249 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, Pol/Econ Chief, Vatican, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
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Summary

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¶1. (C) Despite media reports to the contrary, the Vatican
remains officially neutral on the subject of Turkey's EU bid.
It maintains its position that it sees "no obstacle" to Turkey's
entry if the GoT fulfills the Copenhagen criteria on religious
freedom. Holy See officials were quick to speak out and clarify
the Holy See's stance following media reports on Turkish PM
Erdogan's claim of new support from Pope Benedict. Referring to
the Copenhagen criteria, Cardinal Secretary of State Bertone did
make a statement of "hope" that Turkey would be able to fulfill
the conditions put before it regarding its EU bid. While this
should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Turkey's entering
the Union, it was certainly encouragement for the GoT to enact
needed reforms and continue to work towards integration. Top
officials including Deputy Foreign Minister equivalent Pietro
Parolin have spoken frankly in private, confirming that the
pope's statements in Turkey did not represent a shift in the
Holy See's stance. Vatican officials here are waiting for the
return of the delegation Friday to hear the back story from
Turkey. End Summary.



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Position Unchanged

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¶2. (C) Media have run with Turkish PM Erdogan's claim that
Pope Benedict told him he now supported Turkey's bid to join the
EU. In fact, according to various high-level Vatican officials,
the Holy See's position has not changed; the Vatican remains
officially neutral on the subject, and maintains that it sees
"no obstacle" to Turkey's entry if the GoT fulfills the criteria
established by the December 2002 Copenhagen Summit (ref b).

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Officials Speak Out

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¶3. (SBU) Holy See officials were quick to speak out following
reports on Erdogan's statement. Press office director Federico
Lombardi issued a statement emphasizing that the Holy See had
neither the power nor the competency to intervene on the precise
point of Turkey's entry in the European Union. Lombardi did
note that the pope had expressed his appreciation for the
Alliance of Civilizations initiative promoted by PM Erdogan, and
noted the Vatican's encouragement of dialogue on this and
related issues. New Holy See FM equivalent Archbishop Dominique
Mamberti chimed in that the Holy See had not expressed an
official position on the issue of Turkey's entry. He also
referred to the need for Turkey to live up to the Copenhagen
criteria, a sentiment echoed by his boss, Holy See Secretary of
State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who said he hoped Turkey "could
fulfill the conditions put before it to join the European
Union." [Note: Bertone's statement should not be interpreted as
an endorsement of Turkey's entering the Union, but was certainly
encouragement for Turkey to enact needed reforms. It was
significant as a rare public voicing of the Vatican's long-held
position on the issue.]

¶4. (C) Privately, top Vatican officials including Deputy FM
Pietro Parolin have confirmed that the pope's statements in
Turkey did not represent a shift in the Holy See stance on
Turkey's EU bid. "We all hope that Turkey will take the steps
on religious freedom and human rights that are necessary to
enter," a foreign ministry official told us. The media will
"always say what they want," but the Vatican position has not
changed, he said. Confidentially, he was skeptical about
Turkey's commitment to religious freedom, expressing doubts, for
example, about the GoT's new Law on Foundations (ref a). He did
not elaborate.

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Comment

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VATICAN 00000249 002.2 OF 002



¶5. (C) In the wake of his Regensburg speech and in an effort
to clarify or soften his widely-reported 2004 remarks expressing
doubts about Turkey's place in the EU (please see ref c),
Benedict likely said something relatively positive about
European integration that Erdogan (for whatever reason)
interpreted more broadly. The pope was certainly trying to put
a positive face on his Turkey trip whenever possible, and his
shift in tone from 2004 is noteworthy. The Vatican will
maintain its neutrality on the EU question, but its
encouragement of dialogue and further reforms are useful in the
context of USG goals on the issue.
SANDROLINI

[shipgeek]

Evil Rat-zinger the Paedophile Pope should be dismissed.

The Vatican should be closed down.

The Roman Catholic Church should be dissolved.