CONFIDENTIAL
Α.
HKI External
014137
MDHIAN 5889.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HOLY SEE
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 21
OF 08164OZ MARCH 89
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, GOVERNOR HONG KONG
HONG KONG TELNO 783 TO FCO AND TELECON WITH HASWELL FED:
VATICAN OFFICE IN HONG KONG
actualy HKD.
हैं,
1. I SPOKE TO ARCHBISHOP SODANO YESTERDAY. I SAID THAT WHILE WE UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE VATICAN TO FIND A SUCCESSOR TO THE ELDERLY FRANCISCAN WHO HAD BEEN ACTING INFORMALLY FOR THEM, THEIR PROPOSAL FOR A SEPARATE AND OFFICIAL OFFICE WITH SUITABLE IMMUNITIES AND FACILITIES WAS NOT ACCEPT- ABLE (SEMICOLON) THERE WOULD HOWEVER BE NO OBJECTION TO AN OFFICIAL SECONDED FROM THE HOLY SEE BEING ATTACHED TO THE STAFF OF CARDINAL WU AND EXERCISING HIS ECCLESIASTICAL RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THAT BASE.
2. SODANO EXPRESSED SOME SURPRISE THAT WE FOUND SUCH DIFFICULTY IN THEIR PROPOSAL. SINCE THE PERSON THEY HAD CHOSEN TO TAKE ON THIS JOB WAS A PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMAT, IT WOULD NOT BE EASY TO EXPLAIN HIS PRESENCE IN HONG KONG IF HE DID NOT HAVE AN
IDENTIFIABLE AND DISTINCT STATUS. THE ATTACHMENT TO CARDINAL WU'S STAFF WAS NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE AS THE HOLY SEE'S POLICY WAS TO KEEP ITS DISTANCE IN DAY TO DAY MATTERS FROM THE LOCAL HIERARCHY IN PARTICULAR COUNTRIES. HE ASKED ME IF THE PROPOSAL TO ATTACH
SOMEONE TO THE STAFF OF THE NUNCIATURA IN LONDON OR MANILA CAUSED
THE SAME DIFFICULTIES. I REPLIED THAT I THOUGHT THIS WOULD, SINCE
SUCH A PERSON WOULD ENJOY OFFICIAL STATUS IN LONDON OR MANILA AND
COULD SCARCELY BE RESIDENT IN HONG KONG IF HE DID NOT TAKE HIS
OFFICIAL POSITION AND IMMUNITIES WITH HIM. NEVERTHELESS,
TOOK TO ASK FOR SPECIFIC CONFIRMATION THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF
HONG KONG'S VIEW ON THIS POINT WAS CORRECT.
3. I URGED SODANO TO BE REALISTIC AND THOUGH I RECOGNISED THAT AN ATTACHMENT TO CARDINAL WU'S STAFF MIGHT NOT BE IDEAL NOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH TRADITIONAL PRACTICE, IT WOULD AT LEAST OFFER THE SIMPLEST WAY OF GETTING THEIR MAN ON THE GROUND IN ORDER TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CONTACTS WITHIN HONG KONG THAT WERE RELEVANT TO HIS JOB. SODANO WILL REFLECT ON THIS AND SAID HE WOULD CONSULT CARDINAL CASAOLI AND EVEN THE POPE HIMSELF BEFORE REVERTING,
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