TNAG-2598-FCO40-3786-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 86

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