TNAG-2598-FCO40-3786-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 96

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MDHIAN

NY

FROM WHATEVE

I WOULD

VATIC CH

POSSIBLY WITH A WRITTEN AIDE MEMOIRE WHICH WOULD CLARIFY THEIR ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.

4. I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM ABOUT THE STATE OF THEIR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND THE LIKELT EVOLUTION OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. SODANO SAID THAT THROUGH VARIOUS CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE IN EUROPE AND ASIA, THEY HAD MADE IT PLAIN THAT THEY COULD NOT AGREE TO THE TERMINATION OF THEIR DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN WITHOUT AT THE SAME TIME RESTABLISHING SUCH RELATIONS WITH PEKING. HE EMPHASISED THAT IT HAD BEEN THE GOVERNMENT IN PEKING WHICH HAD OBLIGED THEM TO SHUT DOWN THEIR OFFICES THEIR AND TRANSFER THEIR DIPLOMATIC RELATION- SHIP TO THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (SEMICOLON) THE VATICAN WOULD WISH TO DO THE SAME IN REVERSE BUT ONLY IF THE CHINESE WOULD AGREE TO A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VATICAN AND THE CHINESE BISHOPS AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE VATICAN TO NOMINATE SUCH BISHOPS. WITHOUT CHINESE AGREEMENT TO SUCH CONDITIONS, THERE WOULD BE NO POINT IN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH PEKING. SODANO SEEMED TO EXPECT SOME RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES BY THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR THOUGH HE GAVE NO PARTICULAR REASON FOR THIS TIME SCALE. I SUSPECT THAT THEY ARE WORKING TO THIS TIMING IN THE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD KNOW MORE CLEARLY WHERE THEY STAND BY THE TIME THE POPE GOES TO THE FAR EAST AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. AS I HAVE REPORTED SEPARATELY, IF THERE IS SUFFICIENTLY FAVOURABLE CHINESE RESPONSE BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, THE POPE MAY DECIDE AFTER ALL TO STOP- OVER IN HONG KONG ON HIS WAY TO SEOUL.

5. I EXPECT THAT SODANO WILL ASK ME TO CALL AGAIN WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE, I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MEANWHILE I CAN CONFIRM, WITH REFERENCE TO HONG KONG TELNO 662, THAT AN APOSTOLIC DELEGATE HOLDS NO FORMAL DIPLOMATIC STATUS, THOUGH IN MOST COUNTRIES WHERE THERE IS SUCH REPRESENTATION GOVERNMENTS INFORMALLY GRANT SUCH PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES AS AMBASSADORS ENJOY, AS WE DID IN LONDON TO ARCHBISHOP HEIM BEFORE HE BECAME PRO-NUNCIO IN 1982.

6. I NOTE FROM HONG KONG TELNOS 662 AND 783 THAT THE GOVERNOR IS CONCERNED THAT HONG KONG MIGHT BE DRAGGED INTO THE INTRACACIES

OF MANOEVERING BETWEEN PEKING AND THE VATICAN. I DO NOT SEE WHY

THIS SHOULD NECESSARILY BE SO SINCE THE VATICAN IS INVARIABLY AND NOTORIOUSLY DISCREET AND CAUTIOUS ABOUT ITS DIPLOMACY (SEMI- COLON) IN ANY CASE, THE TASK OF THE OFFICIAL TO BE SECONDED TO HONG KONG WOULD BE ECCLESIASTICAL, THOUGH NATURALLY THIS WOULD INVOLVE FOLLOWING THE FORTUNES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CHINA

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