CONFIDENTIAL
H K ZEYTZANA
057562 MDHOAN 766.8
܀܀
CONFIDENTIAL
EM FCO
TO DESKBY 22080OZ HOLY SEE
TELNO 16
OF 21142OZ MARCH 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING
YOUR TELNO 23 AND 24: VATICAN OFFICE IN HONG KONG
1.
THE PRO NUNCIO CALLED ON THE PUS ON 21 MARCH TO RENEW THE
BARBARITO VATICAN REQUEST TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN HONG KONG. SPOKE ON THE LINES OF THE AIDE, MEMOIRE (SECOND TUR), EMPHASISING THE IMPORTANCE TO THE VATICAN THAT ANY REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE INDEPENDENT OF THE DIOCESE OF HONG KONG AND ACTING AS AN ECCLESIASTICAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOLY SEE. FOR THIS REASON THEY DID NOT FAVOUR THE SUGGESTION THAT A MEMBER OF THE VATICAN STAFF SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO CARDINAL WU'S OFFICE. 2. THEIR REASONS FOR WANTING TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE WERE TWOFOLD. WITH AN APPARENT RESURGENCE OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH IN MAINLAND CHINA THEY WANTED SOMEONE CLOSE TO THE GROUND TO OBSERVE EVENTS IN CHINA AND DEVELOP CONTACTS WITH CATHOLICS THERE. BUT THEY ALSO SAW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OFFICE IN HONG KONG AS INDICATING TO THE CHINESE THAT A POTENTIAL CHANNEL FOR DIALOGUE WOULD NOW BE OPEN.
3. THE PUS TOLD BARBARITO THAT THEIR PROPOSAL PRESENTED US WITH CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTIES. IN THE PROCESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WE HAD A NUMBER OF DELICATE MATTERS TO RESOLVE WHICH REQUIRED THE SUPPORT AND COOPERATION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT VATICAN OFFICE COULD PROVE TO BE A COMPLICATION IN OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE. HE HOPED THE VATICAN WOULD LOOK AGAIN AT THE SUGGESTION THAT THEY SHOULD ATTACH A REPRESENTATIVE TO CARDINAL WU'S OFFICE.
4.
BARBARITO ASKED WHETHER WE WOULD ALLOW SUCH A REPRESENTATIVE DIPLOMATIC POUCH AND CYPHER FACILITIES. THE PUS POINTED OUT THAT WITHOUT DIPLOMATIC STATUS, A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT COME WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE VIENNA CONVENTION, AND THERE WOULD BE NO LEGAL BASIS FOR ACCORDING HIM FACILITIES. THIS COULD BE TAKEN UP WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, BUT THE PUS DID NOT WISH TO RAISE FALSE HOPES THAT FACILITIES WOULD BE GRANTED.
5. BARBARITO SPOKE ENTHUSIASTICALLY OF THE EMERGING NUMBERS OF CHINESE WHO HAD RETAINED THEIR FAITH AND THEIR LOYALTY TO ROME. THERE WAS NOW SOMETHING OF AN UNDERGROUND CHURCH IN CHINA WHICH
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