After eight years, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, one of the Pope's top diplomats, ends his tenure as Vatican ambassador to the United Nations in New York and becomes the new nuncio in Warsaw. Migliore has made a name for himself through many interventions and speaking engagements.
Considered the most important diplomatic post in the Holy See – even though its holder does not even have the rank of a regular ambassador. The Vatican representative to the UN in New York has the title of "Permanent Observer" because the Vatican is not a full member of the United Nations. As "Permanent Observer," Migliore has presented the Vatican's position to the forum of the international community. His interventions and speeches ran the gamut from peacekeeping to bioethics, from refugee ies to drug trafficking; from small arms and nuclear weapons to fair trade and millennium goals. Migliore spoke out on the Middle East conflict, family protection, cloning bans and sex tourism. With his small staff, he seemed omnipresent, offering his services and experience – and was appreciated in the circle of UN ambassadors. Upgrading of Vatican Representatives Work-intensive highlight of his tenure was the 2008 papal visit to the U.S. with Benedict XVI's speech. before the UN General Assembly. Already in the summer of 2004, the status of the Vatican representation at the UN had been officially upgraded. A statute unanimously approved by the Assembly granted the pope's representative to the Assembly a more active role. He is allowed to distribute his documents as working texts of the General Assembly, no longer needing the placet of the regional group for interventions. In addition, he was given the right to reply to interventions concerning the Holy See. No interest in right to vote Migliore and his Roman headquarters, the Secretariat of State, welcomed the new rule of being able to speak freely in the Assembly. However, generally opposed voting rights. For this would put the Holy See, if necessary, in the position of having to decide on military action. Migliore brought with him good qualifications for his task. Before moving to New York, the churchman, born in Cuneo in northern Italy in 1952, served for seven years as Vatican deputy foreign minister. In this capacity, he was the closest collaborator of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Cardinal Secretary of State. He was also responsible for the difficult and protracted negotiations with Vietnam. Migliore also traveled to North Korea several times, mostly in connection with humanitarian projects following disasters. Difficult post in Warsaw Now Migliore – as the first foreigner – takes over the difficult Vatican ambassadorship in Warsaw. In the era of John Paul II. (1978-2005), Poland was basically a matter for the bosses. The pope himself took care of political matters and bishop appointments in his homeland – with which the Holy See resumed diplomatic relations only in 1989 after a 44-year interruption. The first nuncio at that time was Jozef Kowalczyk, now 71, one of John Paul II's closest confidants.; he kept direct contact with the papal apartment. A few weeks ago, Benedict XVI made. Kowalczyk appointed Archbishop of Gniezno and thus Polish Primate. It remains to be seen who will take over the difficult Vatican diplomatic post in New York.
