CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HOLY SEE
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 11
OF 21153OZ FEBRUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG, PEKING
135670
MDHIAN 3465
Hay Koy
A.I.L.
SUMMARY
THE HOLY SEE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN A NON-DIPLOMATIC OFFICE IN HONG
KONG AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
DETAIL
1. MONS CELLI, UNDER WHOSE GEOGRAPHICAL RESPONSIBILITY MOST OF THE FAR EAST, INCLUDING CHINA AND HONG KONG, LIES, CALLED THE FIRST SECRETARY TO THE VATICAN ON 20 FEBRUARY.
2. CELLI BEGAN BY REMINDING MCCORMICK THAT, IN 1984, THERE HAD BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT INCREASING THE LEVEL OF VATICAN
REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG. THEY WOULD NOW LIKE TO RAISE
THE QUESTION AGAIN. THE OFFICE THEY HAD IN MIND WOULD BE
NON-DIPLOMATIC STRICTLY ECCLESIASTICAL: IT WOULD ADOPT A VERY LOW PROFILE. IN EFFECT THIS WOULD HAVE THE SAME CHARACTER
AS THE APOSTOLIC DELEGATIONS WHICH EXIST IN THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE THE HOLY SEE DOES NOT WISH TO HAVE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
3. SINCE THE EARLY FIFTIES, VATICAN AFFAIRS HAD BEEN LOOKED AFTER BY A FRANCISCAN PRIEST, FATHER PIERRACINI. AS HE WAS NOW RATHER OLD AT 76, IT WAS TIME TO REORGANISE THEIR REPRESENT- ATION. CARDINAL WU, WHO RECENTLY CALLED ON THE POPE AND WHO WOULD BE IN TOCH WITH THE GOVERNOR ON THIS SUBJECT, WAS IN FAVOUR OF A CHANGE. CELLI SAID THE HOLY SEE INTENDED TO INFORM THE CHINESE WHAT THEY WERE DOING (WITHOUT TELLING MCCORMICK
HOW THIS WOULD BE DONE). WHEN CELLI WAS ASKED WHY, AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, THEY WERE RESUSCITATING THEIR EARLIER PROPOSAL, HE SAID THE HOLY SEE COULD FORESEE PROBLEMS BETWEEN NOW AND
1997. HE WOULD NOT BE DRAWN BEYOND THIS.
4. CELLI ADDED THAT ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, THEY WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR PERMISSION TO HAVE A DIPLOMATIC POUCH SERVICE
AND CYPHER FACILITIES. HE EMPHASISED AGAIN THAT THEIR PROPOSED REPRESENTATIVE, ALTHOUGH A MEMBER OF THE VATICAN DIPLOMATIC SERVICE (CPAC), WOULD NOT HAVE DIPLOMATIC STATUS. CELLI ALSO SUGGESTED THAT IF YOU AND THE GOVERNOR STILL HAVE SERIOUS
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CONFIDENTIAL