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JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : NSA

RECORD NUMBER

144-10001-10305

RECORDS SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

DATE: 10/09/9

PAGE: 1

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : NSA

FROM

NSA

TO

: HCO

3/0/FRD/T1254-85 FRENCH AND SYRIAN COMMENTS ON POPE'S TRIP

AlL

AGES: 2</14/6

SUBJECTS

ASSASSINATION, JOHN KENNEDY

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION

RESTRICTIONS : 1B

CURRENT STATUS

X

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/24/98

OPENING CRITERIA

ORIGINATING AGENCY'S DETERMINATION REQUIRED

COMMENTS :

[R]

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

DRV FM: NSA/CSS Manual 123-2

Dated: 24 February 1998

DECL ON: X1,X3,X5,X6,X7,X8

- TOP SECRET UMBRA

Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES. JFK, SEN.

REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

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French

Doc Ref ID: A4268833

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FRDBT

WS 10234-37

3/0/FRD/T1254-63

IS 14 Dec 1455Z P

Dist;

HCF

ST 300

FRENCH AND SYRIAN COMMENTS ON POPE'S TRIP

FR Damascus; SEBILLEAU

TO Paris:

The Department

Msg NI:

752-55

11 Dec 63

(4-part message complete]

When the Syrians learned that the Sovereign Pontiff had

decided to go to Jerusalem, they hastened to express their

satisfaction, as they always do every time they note any sign

of interest whatsoever shown by foreign countries with regard

to the Near East. Then they went on to express the hope that

the Pope would not fail to note, during his pilgrimage, the

harm which Israel had done to the Arab people of Palestine..

Finally, the tone imwnich the Israeli radio, which is

listened to here more than is acknowledged, praised the event

prompted them to formulate a few reservations, and a Damascus

newspaper went so far as to wonder whether President KENNEDY'S

assassination, the attempts made in the Council to reinstate

the Jewish people, and finally the pontifical pilgrimage were

not all part of a plot instigated by Zionism to facilitate the

diversion of the waters of the Jordan.

I did not think it necessary to report these reactions,

which were as ridiculous as they were inevitable, to the

Department, since I preferred to wait [2 gr G] adopt a position

by engaging in conversation first with the Chargé d'Affairs

of the Holy See, then with the Apostolic Internuncio,, who

hurriedly returned last night from Rome. This morning, on

leaving the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Monsignor PUNZOLO

was good enough to relate to me the. conversation which he had

had with the Minister. Mr. MURAYID protested in rather moderate

terms against the fact that Israel is seeking to exploit the

French

3/0/FRD/T1254-63

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Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES. JFK, SEN.

REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

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French

3/0/FRD/T1254-63

pilgrimagei he expressed the hope that the latter, although

'it is to take place partly in Israel, would not imply recognition

of that state by the Holy See. Finally, he stated that the

Syrian Government wished to invite PAUL VI to visit Damascus,

the city of Saint Paul, during his trip.

The Apostolic Internuncio told me that he had evaded this

last point by suggesting that the invitation, which will certainly

be refused, be made by the Syrian Embassy at the Holy See.

[1 gr G] gave me the impression, with regard to nonrecognition,

that he had reassured the Syrian Minister and had given him

to understand that the holy See itself was hardly pleased

with the manner in which Israel was seeking to exploit the

Pope's pilgrimage. Talking with me on this matter, he was

altogether frank, going so far as to say that the Israelis

would be well advised not to go too far along the path which

they have entered, if they do not want to run the risk of

a serious setback

and wish to avoid having made "so many

(B val noisy preparations) (2 gr G]."

I wonder, since I know a little about Rome, whether the

Holy See has addressed Tel Aviv in such plain language, but

I confess that I was surprised by that which I heard from the

mouth of a prelate who had just received his latest instructions

from the Secretariat [1 gr U] the previous day.

MS UKA-175

CN ILC

TI --

-2-

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Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES. JFK, SEN.

REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

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