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VATICAN DIPLOMACY: DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AT THE FUNERAL OF THE POPE (PART I)
APR 19, 2005 - 2:35PM PST
by Molly Claflin

Pope John Paul II was widely regarded as a great global diplomat – working for peace and attempting to unite citizens of the world. This reputation did not end at his death, and followed the pope through his own funeral. The funeral, reputed to be the largest in modern history, also became the diplomatic event of 2005. Ceremonies for the pope brought numerous world leaders together, including many that would not normally appear in the same country, let alone the same room. The funeral was wrought with diplomatic implications, as many countries with strained relations came together. President Bush sat nearby leaders from Iran, which he has called part of the “axis of evil,” Syria, and Cuba, which he has called an “outpost of tyranny.” President Bush did not make any gestures towards these nations. Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair also avoided coming into contact with President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, a nation which has recently had very poor relations with Britain. Britain’s Prince Charles, though, did commit a diplomatic faux pas by shaking Mugabe’s hand, later apologizing for the mishap. The funeral also created diplomatic problems for China and Taiwan. China boycotted the pope’s funeral because of the attendance of President Chen of Taiwan. The Vatican is the only European nation to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Other nations with estranged relations meeting at the funeral included India and Pakistan, and Turkey and Armenia. And in the Middle East, an international stir was created when Israeli President Moshe Katsav shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Mohammed Khatami. This is a monumental step in Mideast diplomacy, though government officials note it is too early to tell if the gestures will have any actual political impact. Further complications arose when Iran’s president later denied the handshake ever happened. The following is an aggregated list of international coverage of diplomatic relations at the funeral of Pope John Paul II on April 8, 2005. The Center on Public Diplomacy will soon be following this report with Vatican Diplomacy Part II, which will focus on the public reactions to the death of Pope John Paul II and the appointment of Pope Benedict XVI. Vatican 'Decananza Diplomatica' and the French Language Keep Some Space Between Bush, Assad and Khatami (Angelo Persichilli, Embassy, Canada, April 13, 2005) “For politicians, for the first time it was not important where they stood, but where they sat. That was last week, during the funeral of Pope John Paul II,” writes Persichilli. Seating at the pope’s funeral created a diplomatic headache for the Vatican, but they managed it with a combination of seniority, hierarchy, and the alphabet. (Seniority was based upon each nation’s diplomatic seniority with the Vatican.) Embassy analyses the diplomatic seating chart. China, Catholic Church at a Crossroads (Francesco Sisci, Asia Times, China, April 12, 2005) The representation of Taiwan at the Pope’s funeral caused diplomatic troubles between the Vatican, China, and Taiwan. The Taiwanese press noted the Vatican brushed off…... FULL TEXT

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