Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 12522 / 251,287

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28 2011/04/29 2011/04/30
2011/05/01 2011/05/02 2011/05/03 2011/05/04 2011/05/05 2011/05/06 2011/05/07 2011/05/08 2011/05/09 2011/05/10

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/06 1992/12
1993/10
1996/11
1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 2002/11
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belmopan Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples Consulate Naha
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Suva Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sapporo Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AMED AF ASEC AMGT AFIN AG ABLD AJ AL ASUP AR AID AORC AS AE APER ACOA ANET AU ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG ARF APECO AEMR ATRN AA AADP ACS AM APCS AFFAIRS ADANA ADPM ADCO AECL ACAO AY APEC AORG ASEAN ABUD AGAO AFSI AFSN AINF AGR AROC AO AODE ACABQ AGMT AORL AX AMEX ADM AFGHANISTAN AZ AND ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ASIG ASCH ACBAQ AIT AMCHAMS AC AUC ASEX AER AVERY AGRICULTURE AMG AFU AN ALOW
BR BA BL BTIO BH BEXP BO BG BU BK BRUSSELS BD BM BT BC BX BIDEN BE BY BBSR BB BP BN BILAT BF BTIU BWC BMGT
CS CO CASC CA CU CH CN CONS CBW CI CE CVIS CW CLINTON COE CMGT CG CJAN CR CWC CD CPAS CT CONDOLEEZZA COUNTER CDG CIDA CM CICTE COUNTRY CY CBSA CEUDA CAC CODEL CBE CHR CTM CDC CFED COM CIS CKGR CVR CIA COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CLEARANCE CSW CARICOM CB CL CF CJUS CROS CLMT CIC CAPC COPUOS CTR CACS CAN CITT CARSON CACM CDB CV CBC CNARC
DHS DAO DCM DR DOD DOMESTIC DO DA DK DTRA DJ DEA DPRK DEPT DISENGAGEMENT DE DOE DS DEFENSE DEAX
ES EC ECON EFIN EAID ETRD EAGR ENRG EINV EIND ETTC ECIN EG ELTN EPET ELAB EU ECPS EUREM ET EWWT ELN EAIR EFIS EUN ER EINT ENVR EMIN ENERG ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ELECTIONS EFTA EN ECA EPA ENGR ETRC EXTERNAL EZ EI ENVI ETRO ETRN EK EINVEFIN ECINECONCS ERD EUR ETC EAP ENIV ECONOMY EINN ECONOMIC EXBS ECUN EURN EAIG ECONCS ENGY ECONOMICS ETRDEINVTINTCS EFINECONCS EEPET ESA EIAR ENNP EDU EXIM EINDETRD EREL EUC ESENV ECONEFIN ECIP EFIM EAIDS ETRDECONWTOCS EUNCH EINVETC EINVECONSENVCSJA EUMEM ETRA ERNG
FR FBI FAC FARC FI FDA FAO FJ FTA FTAA FREEDOM FISO FOR FOREIGN FAS FM FINR FINANCE FOI FMLN FO
GG GM GV GT GOV GTMO GH GOI GL GY GAERC GA GR GF GCC GE GZ GAZA GANGS GERARD GTIP GLOBAL
HO HK HILLARY HA HR HU HUMAN HI HURI HSTC HYMPSK HUMOR HEBRON
IR IN IS IZ IT IC IAEA IEFIN ICAO IRS INTELSAT IO ILC IMO IRAQI IV ILO ITALY IBRD ITU ID ICRC IPR ISRAELI IIP INMARSAT IAHRC IWC INTERNAL INDO ITPHUM ITPGOV ITALIAN IBET INR ICJ ICTY IA INTERPOL IEA IACI INRB IL IMF ITRA IDA ISLAMISTS IQ IRC IZPREL IRAJ ITF IF ISRAEL ICTR IDP IGAD INRA INRO
JO JA JUS JM JP JOSEPH JAMES JOHN JOHNNIE
KNNP KTFN KFLU KPAO KMDR KWBG KTER KBCT KPAL KDEM KTIA KOLY KJUS KCRM KV KSUM KWMN KS KRVC KGHG KE KGIC KPRP KTIP KUNR KPKO KRIM KSCA KOMC KHLS KCOR KWAC KISL KZ KG KIRF KMPI KVPR KIPR KOMS KSPR KIRC KN KFRD KAWC KFIN KCRCM KR KBTS KSEP KFLO KSEO KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KSTC KICC KMCA KHDP KSAF KACT KSTH KOCI KNUP KPRV KTDB KMIG KIDE KU KPAONZ KNUC KNNPMNUC KNPP KERG KSCI KDRG KBIO KCFE KCIP KTLA KTEX KPLS KHIV KCSY KTRD KID KSAC KNAR KMRS KJUST KPWR KCRS KRCM KREC KNEI KTBT KCFC KRAD KCHG KAWK KGCC KREL KMFO KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KFTFN KVRP KGIT KBTR KCOM KO KLIG KAID KDEMAF KFSC KOM KMOC KRGY KVIR KX KPOA KWMM KPAI KHSA KICA KNSD KHUM KSEC KCMR KPIN KESS KDEV KCGC KWWMN KPAK KWNM KWMNCS KRFD KDDG KIFR
LY LE LG LI LH LTTE LU LO LAB LOG LA LT LABOR
MOPS MARR MCAP MEPN MNUC MO MASS MX MD MZ MRCRE MI MTCRE MAS MU MR MC MY MTCR MAPP MUCN MIL ML MEDIA MA MPOS MP MERCOSUR MG MK MV MOPPS MASC MTS MLS MILI MAR MEPI MEETINGS MCC MIK MW MT MTRE MDC MQADHAFI MAPS MARAD MEPP MILITARY MASSMNUC
NATO NZ NSF NPG NSG NA NL NU NPT NSFO NS NE NK NI NSSP NATIONAL NO NDP NP NASA NAFTA NIPP NG NEW NZUS NR NH NSC NPA NC NRR NGO NT NAR NV NORAD NATOPREL NW
OTRA OIIP OPRC OREP OVIP ODIP OPAD OPDC OAS OVP OSCE OIE OECD OPCW OEXC OCS OPIC OFDP OMIG OBSP OSCI OTR OFFICIALS OSAC ON OFDA OHUM OCII OES OIC
PGOV PREL PINR PINS PM PO PHUM PK PTER PREF PARM PBTS PE PAS POL PHSA PNAT PL PAK PA PSI POLITICS PROP PAIGH POLITICAL PARTIES POSTS PMIL PALESTINIAN PARMS PROG PBIO PTBS POLICY PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PG PTERE PRGOV PORG PP PS PGOF PU PKFK PSOE PEPR PPA PINT PMAR PRELP PSEPC PREFA PGOVE PINF PNG POGOV PRL PFOR PUNE PDOV PGOVLO PAO PGOC PINL PF PY POV PHUMBA PNR PCI PREO PAHO PCUL PLN POLINT PGGV PHALANAGE PARTY PHUS PDEM PECON PROV PHUMPREL PGIV PRAM PHUH PSA PHUMPGOV PEL
QA
RU RS RSO RICE RP REACTION REPORT RIGHTS RO RCMP RW RM REGION RSP RF RUPREL RFE ROOD RIGHTSPOLMIL ROBERT RELATIONS
SY SMIG SNAR SENV SCUL SW SA SOCI SO SP SN SU SR SH SCRS SC SZ SF SL SENVKGHG SYRIA SI SWE SARS SAN SHI STEINBERG SG ST SNARN SEVN SHUM SPCE SIPDIS SYR SIPRS SNARCS SAARC SNARIZ SSA SK SPCVIS SOFA SANC SEN
TR TRGY TBIO TPHY TSPA TP TW TU TSPL TS TT TX TZ TI TN TF TERRORISM TD TK TH TIP TC TNGD THPY TL TV TO TFIN TRSY TINT TURKEY TBID TAGS
UK UZ UP US UN UNMIK USTR UNCSD UNHRC UNGA UNSC UNCHR UNESCO UNDC USNC UNO UY UG USEU UV USUN UNEP USPS USAID UNAUS UNHCR UE UNVIE UAE UNDP UNC USOAS UNFICYP UNPUOS UNODC UNCHS UNIDROIT UNDESCO UNCHC UNCND UNICEF
VE VZ VT VTIZ VTEG VTPREL VM VI VN VAT VC
WBG WTRO WHO WIPO WTO WHTI WS WTRQ WI WZ WWARD WB WHA WITH WFP WMD WMO WEU WA
XL XM XW XF XG XT XK XTAG XS XE XR XA XZ XY XX XV XB XU XH XD XI XC XQ
YM YI YE YMCS
ZI ZP ZR ZO ZL ZF ZB ZU ZJ ZEALAND ZK ZN ZANU ZA ZOELLICK

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 02VATICAN3692, EASTERN CHURCHES UNDER STRESS WHERE CHURCH/STATE SEPARATION IS WEAK

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #02VATICAN3692.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
02VATICAN3692 | 2002-07-26 10:54 | 2011-04-22 01:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Vatican
Appears in these articles: http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1715617.ece

`

    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 003692

    SIPDIS

    DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENUTTI); DRL/IRF (FARR)

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2012
    TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF RS IN IS UP PGOV PHUM KIRF RS IN IS UP VT VTPREL

    SUBJECT: EASTERN CHURCHES UNDER STRESS WHERE CHURCH/STATE SEPARATION IS WEAK
    CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM GEORGE FROWICK FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).

    ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: SECRETARY OF THE CONGREGATION FOR EASTERN CHURCHES, ARCHBISHOP ANTONIO VEGLIO, TOLD CHARGE THAT THE EASTERN CHURCHES -- THE 22 CHRISTIAN RITES THAT ARE NOT ROMAN CATHOLIC BUT ARE IN COMMUNION WITH ROME -- FACE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES THAT CAST LONG SHADOWS OVER THEIR FUTURE. BOTH      CONFIDENTIAL
    PAGE 02  VATICA 03692 01 OF 02 261100Z RADICAL ISLAM AND RUSSIAN ORTHODOXY PRESENT OBSTACLES TO THE VITALITY AND SURVIVAL OF THE DISPARATE EASTERN RITE CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES IN EURASIA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, AND SOUTH ASIA, BUT, BUT IN BOTH CASES, ACCORDING TO VEGLIO, THE LACK OF SEPARATION BETWEEN FAITH AND STATE IS THE CHIEF HURDLE. WHILE CHRISTIANS ARE LEAVING THE MIDDLE EAST IN GREAT NUMBERS, HOLLOWING OUT MILLENNIA-OLD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES, THE GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH IN UKRAINE AND THE INDIAN EASTERN CATHOLIC CHURCHES CENTERED ON THE STATE OF KERALA ARE THE MOST ""LIVELY"" AND GROWING. END SUMMARY.
    ¶2. (C) ARCHBISHOP ANTONIO VEGLIO, SECRETARY OF THE CONGREGATION FOR EASTERN CHURCHES TOLD CHARGE DURING A JULY 24 MEETING THAT THE EASTERN CHURCHES IN RUSSIA AND ARAB COUNTRIES ARE COMING UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE, AND HAVE ""A BIG QUESTION MARK"" OVER THEIR FUTURE. WHERE ""NATIONAL"" FAITHS ARE CLOSE TO OR INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM POLITICAL POWER, VEGLIO OBSERVED, THE CATHOLIC FAITHFUL FACE PERSISTENT DISCRIMINATION AND THE CHURCH FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT ITS PASTORAL DUTIES. VEGLIO SAID THERE ARE 22 CHRISTIAN RITES THAT, WHILE NOT ROMAN CATHOLIC, NEVERTHELESS REMAIN IN COMMUNION WITH ROME (I.E. RECOGNIZE THE ROMAN POPE AS LEADER OF THE FAITHFUL). THESE RITES ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR PRINCIPAL GEOGRAPHICAL GROUPS IN:
    -- THE FORMERLY COMMUNIST EUROPE -- THE MIDDLE EAST -- INDIA, AND -- ETHIOPIA/ERITREA.

    ----------------------
    CONFIDENTIAL
    PAGE 03  VATICA 03692 01 OF 02 261100Z THE ORTHODOX CHALLENGE
    ----------------------

    ¶3. (C) VEGLIO, A FORMER IV GRANTEE RETURNING TO ROME AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS OF OVERSEAS HOLY SEE DIPLOMATIC WORK, SAID HIS CONGREGATION'S PRIMARY DUTY WAS TO ENSURE THAT THESE CHURCHES ARE ABLE TO CARRY OUT PASTORAL CARE OF THE FAITHFUL WHEREVER THEY ARE (E.G. EVEN AMONG GREEK CATHOLICS IN THE U.S.). REPRISING THE DIFFICULTIES CATHOLICS FACE WITH THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, VEGLIO SUGGESTED THAT RUSSIAN ORTHODOX OBJECTIONS TO THE PRESENCE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN RUSSIA DERIVES FROM THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CLERGY'S ""OLD FASHIONED WORLD VIEW, SIMILAR TO THE VATICAN'S WAY OF THINKING SIXTY YEARS AGO."" HE BELIEVED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MAY BE MORE APPEALING TO THE AVERAGE RUSSIAN OR UKRAINIAN BECAUSE, DURING THE YEARS OF COMMUNIST REPRESSION, THEY SUFFERED AND RETAINED THEIR ""PURITY"" WHILE THE ORTHODOX CHURCH HAD TOO COZY A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNIST POWERS. HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT AS THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX MODERNIZED AND BECAME LESS ISOLATED THEY WOULD FEEL LESS THREATENED AND WOULD DROP THEIR ""IRRATIONAL"" OBJECTIONS TO CATHOLICS IN RUSSIA. IN THE MEANTIME THE VATICAN WOULD CONTINUE TO MINISTER TO THE FAITHFUL AS BEST IT COULD. VEGLIO IMPLIED IT WOULD BE DECADES, NOT YEARS, BEFORE THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX WOULD COME AROUND TO THIS VIEW.

    ------------------------
    THE CHALLENGE FROM ISLAM
    ------------------------

    ¶4. (C) TURNING TO THE MIDDLE EAST, VEGLIO OBSERVED THAT THE       CONFIDENTIAL
    PAGE 04  VATICA 03692 01 OF 02 261100Z MUSLIM COUNTRIES POSED AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE. VEGLIO, WHO RECENTLY RETURNED TO THE HOLY SEE AFTER SERVING AS NUNCIO IN BEIRUT, ASSERTED THAT ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM, CENTERED ON SUDAN, THREATENED THE GOOD RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS HERETOFORE EXISTED BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (REF B). HE WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT THE YOUNGER, MORE MODERN, SECULAR AND USUALLY CHRISTIAN PEOPLE IN THE ARAB MIDDLE EAST ARE GIVING UP ON THEIR COUNTRIES AND EMIGRATING. HE SAID THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN DECIMATED BY THIS EMIGRATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING ""THE MUSLIMS WANT."" IN A REFRESHINGLY FRANK ADMISSION, VEGLIO SAID THAT, AS NUNCIO, HE HAD PRESSURED BEIRUT TO LEGALIZE CIVIL MARRIAGES (MUCH TO THE CHAGRIN OF HIS BISHOPS). HE ARGUED THAT PEOPLE IN MIDDLE EASTERN STATES SHOULD HAVE THE ""MODERN"" OPTION OF BEING SECULAR, WHICH MAKES FOR A BETTER POLITY THAN DOES THEOCRACY. HE SAID IN MANY ARAB STATES THE CONSTITUTION IS EFFECTIVELY THE KORAN. ""GOVERNMENTS SHOULD NO MORE HAVE THE BIBLE THAN THE KORAN AS THEIR CONSTITUTION"" IF COUNTRIES IN THE REGION WERE TO MOVE TOWARD GENUINE DEMOCRATIC AND TOLERANT GOVERNMENTS, HE ASSERTED.
    CONFIDENTIAL
    CONFIDENTIAL  PTQ3036
    PAGE 01  VATICA 03692 02 OF 02 261100Z ACTION EUR-00
    INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00   DS-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 AC-01  NEA-00  NSAE-00 ACE-00 SS-00 SA-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02  SAS-00  /003W      ------------------D08EDC 261100Z /38 R 261054Z JUL 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003692
    SIPDIS
    DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENUTTI); DRL/IRF (FARR)
    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2012 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF RS IN IS UP PGOV PHUM KIRF RS IN IS UP VT VTPREL

    -------------------------------------
    UKRAINE AND INDIA: ISLANDS OF GROWTH
    -------------------------------------
    ¶5. (C) ONLY IN UKRAINE AND INDIA ARE THE EASTERN RITE CHURCHES VIGOROUS AND GROWING, DESPITE HINDRANCES, VEGLIO      CONFIDENTIAL
    PAGE 02  VATICA 03692 02 OF 02 261100Z NOTED. THE GREEK RITE CATHOLICS ARE SUCCESSFULLY RECOVERING PROPERTIES CONFISCATED BY STALIN AND GIVEN, IN MANY CASES, TO RUSSIAN ORTHODOX COMMUNITIES. VEGLIO AVERRED THAT THE STRONG PRESENCE OF THIS CHURCH IN UKRAINE BEFORE WORLD WAR II, AND THE STRONG SUPPORT OF ITS FAITHFUL IN THE U.S. AND ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST, HAVE GIVEN IT AN ADVANTAGE. TWO MEASURES OF ITS CONFIDENCE ARE THE INTENT BY ARCHBISHOP MAJOR LUBOMYR TO MOVE HIS SEE FROM LVOV TO KIEV AND THE UKRAINIAN CHURCH'S PRESSURE ON THE HOLY SEE TO RAISE ITS STATUS TO THAT OF A FULL PATRIARCHATE. (NOTE: THIS WOULD PUT IT ON A PAR WITH THE RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN PATRIARCHATES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN KIEV).
    ¶6. (C) THE SYRO-MALABAR AND SYRO-MALANKARA CHURCHES ARE REPUTED TO HAVE A 2,000-YEAR PRESENCE IN SOUTHERN INDIA, ORIGINATING, ACCORDING TO VEGLIO, FROM THE VISIT OF SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE. THESE CHURCHES ARE THRIVING EVEN AS CHRISTIANS SUFFER PERSECUTION IN HINDU-NATIONALIST PARTS OF INDIA. VEGLIO PLANS A VISIT TO THOSE CHURCHES AND TO THE MIDDLE EAST IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

    -------
    COMMENT
    -------
    ¶7. (C) IN ADDITION TO ITS PASTORAL WORK, THE CONGREGATION FOR EASTERN CHURCHES IS ACTIVE IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WORK. IT IS FUNDED BY THE HOLY SEE AND BY DONATIONS FROM WEALTHY CHURCHES IN EUROPE AND THE U.S. ON THE SUBJECT OF THE MIDDLE EAST, VEGLIO OBSERVED THAT THE MIXING OF STATE AND RELIGION ALSO CAUSED PROBLEMS IN ISRAEL, WHICH HE NOTED WAS THE ONLY       CONFIDENTIAL
    PAGE 03  VATICA 03692 02 OF 02 261100Z COUNTRY IN THE REGION WITH ""DEMOCRATIC ASPECTS."" THE CONGREGATION, AS ELSEWHERE IN THE HOLY SEE IS DEEPLY TROUBLED BY ISRAELI POLICIES VIS-A-VIS THE PALESTINIANS. THE CONGREGATION WILL REMAIN ACTIVE IN SEEKING TO SUPPORT THE PALESTINIANS AS A MEANS OF PRESERVING THE REMNANTS OF THE CATHOLIC PRESENCE IN THE REGION.
    HARDT
    CONFIDENTIAL
    >
    2002VATICA03692 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL "

`