CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HOLY SEE
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 25
OF 22170OZ MARCH 89
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING
HKAI.I
063456
MDLIAN 7374
YOUR TELNO 16: VATICAN OFFICE IN HONG KONG
1.
WHEN I SAW ARCHBISHIP CASSIDY THIS MORNING, I EXPLAINED OUR CONTINUING DIFFICULTIES WITH THE VATICAN'S PROPOSAL IN THE SAME TERMS AS USED BY THE PUS (YOUR PARAGRAPH 2). HE COMMENTED THAT OUR RESPECTIVE ASSESSMENTS OF LIKELY CHINESE REACTIONS DIFFERED, TO WHICH I AGREED. HE WONDERED IF WE COULD CONSULT THE CHINESE AND SO CLEAR THE WAY FOR THEIR OFFICE. I SAID THAT I DID NOT THINK THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE. HE DID NOT PRESS THE POINT. HE THEN SAID THAT HE WOULD INFORM ARCHBISHOP SODANO AND THAT SUBJECT TO THE PRO-NUNCIO'S REPORT WHICH HE HAD NOT YET SEEN, HE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE CARDINAL'S STAFF, THAT WOULD AT LEAST BE A START AND ANY FURTHER PLANS WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE CHINESE HAD REACTED TO RECENT VATICAN APPROACHES. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE KEY POINT WAS AS EXPLAINED BY BARBARITO (LAST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 5 OF YOUR TUR) AND NOT THE HOLY SEE'S FUTURE RELATIONSHIP WITH
TAIWAN.
BOTH BARBARITO AND CARDINAL WU ARE EXPECTED IN ROME WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS. I HOPE TO SEE THEM BOTH AND WILL GO OVER THE GROUND AGAIN APPROPRIATE.
2.
BROADLEY
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
59
LIMITED
HKD
WED
FED
DISTRIBUTION
59
PAGE
INFO PS/PUS
MR HERNE
MR RATFORD
1
CONFIDENTIAL