Cablegate: Holy See: Interest in Wirec 2008

VZCZCXRO9689
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHROV #0149 2881411
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 151411Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0817
INFO RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0847

UNCLAS VATICAN 000149

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

OES FOR WIREC ACTION GROUP - SPECHT AND HILL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ENRG EPET SENV SOCI TRGY KPAO KGHG KSCA VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE: INTEREST IN WIREC 2008

REF: (A) STATE 138428, (B) VATICAN 0147, (C) VATICAN 0129

1. Charge d'affaires provided Ref A information October 8 to Dr.
Paolo Conversi, the responsible official for multilateral
environmental issues in the Holy See's foreign ministry.
Conversi was personally very interested but has not yet been
able to confirm whether the Vatican wishes to participate in
WIREC 2008. Charge will meet Conversi for further discussions
October 18 and will report further after that.

2. Given the recent marked interest of Pope Benedict XVI and the
Holy See in climate and environmental issues (Refs B and C), and
the Holy See's potentially great influence on world opinion,
Embassy requests that the possibility of Holy See participation
in WIREC 2008 be held open for a few additional days. We note
that any Holy See delegation to the conference would likely be
small.

SANDROLINI

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