US embassy cable - 03VATICAN3820

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003820 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; DRL/IRF FOR INBODEN, EAP/CM 
BEIJING PASS TO CHENGDU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2013 
TAGS: CH, KIRF, PHUM, PINR, PREL, VT, religious freedom 
SUBJECT: VATICAN: BALL IN CHINA'S COURT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 240681 
     B. B) STATE 222664 (NOTAL) 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, D. BRENT HARDT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AN 
D (D) 
 
1. (C) MEETING AUGUST 20 WITH HOLY SEE DEPUTY FOREIGN 
    MINISTER PIETRO PAROLIN, DCM RAISED THE CURRENT RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM SITUATION IN CHINA, BUILDING ON REF A DEMARCHE TO EU 
COUNTRIES AND REF B DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BILATERAL DIALOGUE. 
WITHOUT REFERRING DIRECTLY TO CARDINAL MCCARRICK'S RECENT 
CONVERSATIONS IN BEIJING (REF B), PAROLIN SAID THE HOLY SEE 
UNDERSTOOD THAT CHINA'S GOAL WAS TO RESOLVE KEY RELIGIOUS 
FREEDOM ISSUES PRIOR TO THE BEIJING OLYMPICS.  HE NOTED 
CHINA'S RECENT EFFORTS TO RESOLVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES WITH THE 
DALAI LAMA, AND SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS 
NEXT IN LINE.  DESPITE THESE INDICATIONS, PAROLIN POINTED OUT 
THAT THE HOLY SEE HAS YET TO SEE ANY CONCRETE STEPS TO BACK 
UP THE ALLEGED CHINESE DESIRE TO MAKE PROGRESS, AND SAID HE 
REMAINED TO BE CONVINCED THAT ANYTHING CONCRETE WOULD ARISE 
FROM THE CHINESE ANY TIME SOON IN THIS REGARD. 
 
2. (C) RESPONDING TO OUR QUERIES ABOUT THE STATE OF THE HOLY 
SEE'S DIALOGUE AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE BROADER HUMAN 
RIGHTS SITUATION IN CHINA, PAROLIN AGREED WITH U.S. 
PERCEPTIONS THAT THERE HAD BEEN LITTLE PROGRESS OVER THE PAST 
YEAR.  WHILE THE HOLY SEE WAS STILL HOPING FOR PROGRESS IN 
CHINA, PAROLIN NOTED THAT SIGNS SEEM TO BE POINTING "IN THE 
OPPOSITE DIRECTION."  PAROLIN ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE NEW 
GOVERNMENT'S INSECURITIES AND NEED TO BECOME MORE STABILIZED. 
 DESPITE ITS FAILURE THUS FAR TO ACT, CHINA APPEARED TO BE 
DOING ALL IT COULD TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT IT IS READY FOR A 
"NEW KIND OF RELATIONSHIP."  FOR THE VATICAN, HOWEVER, "THE 
BALL IS IN CHINA'S COURT," AS THE POPE HAD TAKEN SOME KEY 
STEPS REQUESTED BY BEIJING WITHOUT ANY SUBSEQUENT CHINESE 
ACTION.  THE KEY ISSUE FOR THE HOLY SEE, PAROLIN CONCLUDED, 
WILL BE THE HOLY SEE'S ABILITY TO HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP 
WITH CHINESE CATHOLICS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE. 

HARDT 
 
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 2003VATICA03820 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL