Viewing cable 08VATICAN43, VATICAN: NO TO AHMADINEJAD PAPAL AUDIENCE

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PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHSR
DE RUEHROV #0043 1581528
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P 061528Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0945
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0979

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000043 

SIPDIS 

DEPT FOR EUR/WE CERVETTI 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/5/2033 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM IR VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN: NO TO AHMADINEJAD PAPAL AUDIENCE 

CLASSIFIED BY: Rafael P. Foley, ADCM, Embassy Vatican. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
¶1. (C) Summary: Holy See Undersecretary for Relations with 
States Monsignor Pietro Parolin told Ambassador that Pope 
Benedict would not receive Iranian President Ahmadinejad during 
his visit to Rome. The reason given for denying Ahmadinejad's 
request were related to the large number of visiting heads of 
state in Rome for the FAO World Food Security Summit and the 
limited time available to meet all the leaders who requested an 
audience. End Summary. 

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No Private Papal Audience for Ahmadinejad 

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¶2. (C) Ambassador, accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Mission, 
met May 31 with Monsignor Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's 
Undersecretary for Relations with States (Deputy FM equivalent) 
to discourage the Holy See from granting Iranian President 
Ahmadinejad a Papal audience during his visit to Rome for the 
FAO summit. Parolin said the Holy See always finds it difficult 
to say no to a request for an audience from a head of state, and 
that the Holy See's preference is always for dialogue. 
Nevertheless, he confirmed that Pope Benedict would not see 
Ahmadinejad during his stay in Rome, but the reason given will 
be "technical", having to do with the fact that so many heads of 
state wanted to see the Pope in the brief period during the FAO 
Summit. Not being able to accommodate them all, but not wanting 
to show favoritism, the Pope decided not to see any of the 
leaders. Parolin also confirmed that there would not be any 
group meeting with the visiting heads of state. Asked about the 
possibility of a future papal audience for Ahmadinejad, Parolin 
said the Holy See's impression is that he may find it difficult 
(for internal reasons) to get permission to leave the country 
for such a visit. 

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Holy See Press Office Affirms "No" Decision 

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¶4. (C) On Tuesday, June 3, the Holy See's Press Office released 
a statement confirming that contrary to "certain journalistic 
suppositions" circulating in the media, Pope Benedict would be 
unable to agree to meet with any of the requests for private 
audiences he received from heads of state who were visiting Rome 
for the FAO Summit. The reason provided was "the number of 
requests, the limited time available, and prior commitments.' 
The statement indicated that Cardinal Secretary of State Bertone 
had written each leader personally informing them of the Holy 
Father's disappointment at the impossibility of meeting on this 
occasion and reaffirming his willingness to receive them on a 
future occasion. The statement also mentioned that this has 
been the Holy See's practice since April 2006. 

GLENDON