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CONFIDENTIAL
MDHIAM
ASSIFIED
HONG KON DESKBY ELNO 54
JF 180 INFO
*
DOUBTS ABOUT THE VATICAN'S PROPOSAL FOR AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE IN HONG KONG, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE COULD FORMALLY BE ON THE STAFF OF THE NUNCIATURES IN LONDON OR IN MANILA BUT RESIDENT IN HONG KONG AS AN OUTPOST: TAIWAN, OF COURSE, WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR THIS PURPOSE.
5. THE SECRETARY OF THE CPAC, MONSIGNOR SODANO, THEN JOINED THEM AND EMPHASISED THAT THE HOLY SEE WERE ANXIOUSLY LOOKING FOR A
FORMULA WHICH WOULD BE SUITABLE BOTH FOR THE HOY SEE AND
HMG. THERE WOULD BE NO SECRECY ABOUT SUCH AN OFFICE WHICH WOULD
BE KNOWN SIMPLY AS AN OFFICE OF THE VATICAN. SODANO SAID THAT
THE POPE WOULD BE VERY PLEASED IF WE COULD ACCEDE TO THIS REQUEST.
COMMENT
6. CELLI GAVE NO WARNING OF THE SUBJECT TO BE RAISED AND MCCORMICK WAS THEREFORE UNSIGHTED ON THE DETAILS OF THE 1984 DISCUSSIONS, CORRESPONDENCE ON WHICH RESTS WITH EHRMAN'S LETTER HK1AGL OF 16
JULY 1985 FROM HONG KONG DEPT TO LANE. THE NEGOTIATIONS LEADING
UP TO THE AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WERE CLEARLY
NOT PROPITIOUS FOR A CHANGE IN THE STATUS OF THE VATICAN'S
PRESENCE IN HONG KONG. THE HOLY SEE NOW SEEMS TO BE TRYING
THE RUN UP TO 1997, TO ESTABLISH A DE FACTO PRESENCE IN THE
COLONY WHICH THE CHINESE MIGHT THEN FIND DIFFICULT TO CHANGE. IT
WOULD NOT BE SURPRISING IF THE PROPOSED REPRESENTATIVE WERE
EVENTUALLY USED AS AN INFORMAL LIAISON BETWEEN THE VATICAN AND
PEKING.
IN
7 GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF THE GOVERNOR, HONG KONG AND PEKING.
BROADLEY
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