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WikiLeaks: 2010-02-08: 10VATICAN23: Vatican: Iran is not Res...
VZCZCXRO9092
OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHSL RUEHSR
RUEHTRO
DE RUEHROV #0023 0391644
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O P 081644Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1255
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 1294
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000023
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/8/2035
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV IR VT
SUBJECT: (C) VATICAN: IRAN IS NOT RESPECTING HUMAN RIGHTS
CLASSIFIED BY: Julieta Valls Noyes, DCM.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
(C) On February 8, polchief shared with the Vatican
Secretariat of State point person for Iran, Monsignor Alberto
Ortega, USG concerns about Tehran's violations of human rights
since the June 12, 2009 elections. Polchief underscored the
importance of shining a spotlight on the human rights situation
in Iran in advance of the February 11 anniversary of the
founding of the Islamic Republic, to help prevent a violent
crackdown. Ortega agreed Iran is not respecting human rights
and hoped that Tehran would listen to calls for restraint in
dealing with internal dissent. He implied the Vatican's
leverage over Iran is very limited, and that concerns for the
Chaldean Catholic minority in the country (about 4,000) made it
difficult for the Holy See to openly criticize the government.
He nevertheless was supportive of USG concerns. Polchief
encouraged Ortega to look for opportunities for the Holy See to
express this support more publicly.
NOYES
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