US embassy cable - 01VATICAN6539

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 006539 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); DRL/IRF (FARR) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2011 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, CH, VT, TA 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH VATICAN CHINA EXPERT 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR R.J. NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 
(A) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON CALLED ON ARCHBISHOP MARIA CELLI, 
SECRETARY OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE PATRIMONY OF THE 
 
SIPDIS 
APOSTOLIC SEE, ON DECEMBER 14.  ALTHOUGH CELLI, IN HIS 
CURRENT POSITION AS CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OF VATICAN PROPERTIES 
DOES NOT HAVE A DIRECT FOREIGN POLICY ROLE, HE IS OFTEN 
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CALLED UPON BY THE FOREIGN MINISTRY TO ADVISE AND ASSIST ON 
CHINA POLICY. 
 
2. (C) CELLI SAID THAT THE VATICAN ACCEPTS THAT THERE WILL BE 
NO IMPROVEMENT IN CHINA/VATICAN RELATIONS UNTIL AT LEAST THE 
COMMUNIST PARTY CONGRESS IN MARCH, 2002.  THE CURRENT 
DIRECTOR OF THE RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS BUREAU IN BEIJING IS AN 
"OLD MAOIST".  ACCORDING TO CELLI, THE POWER OF THE RELIGIOUS 
AFFAIRS BUREAU IS A MAJOR REASON THAT BEIJING REFUSES TO 
BEGIN DISCUSSIONS ON NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS.  CELLI 
EXPLAINED THAT THE BUREAU IS A MAJOR BUREAUCRACY WHICH IS 
FIGHTING HARD TO PROTECT ITS POWER, PERKS, AND PERSONNEL. THE 
HEAD OF THE PATRIOTIC CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE BISHOP OF BEIJING, 
IS COMPLACENT WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION AND HE TOO DEPENDS 
ON THE BUREAU FOR HIS POWER AND POSITION. 
 
3. (C) AMBASSADOR ASKED IF THE POPE'S RECENT OVERTURE TO 
BEIJING HAS HAD ANY EFFECT.  CELLI REPLIED THAT THE VATICAN 
IS NOW ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT IT HAS NOT.  HE WENT ON TO SAY 
THAT CHINA IS A "BIRD CAGE" AND THAT THE VATICAN'S GOAL IS 
NOT TO BREAK DOWN THE "CAGE" BUT TO WIDEN IT.  THE VATICAN 
DOES NOT EXPECT FULL FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN CHINA ANY TIME IN 
THE NEAR FUTURE, AND IS THEREFORE WILLING TO ACCEPT A 
"DECENT" LEVEL.  THE AMBASSADOR INQUIRED IF VATICAN RELATIONS 
WITH TAIWAN IS AN OBSTACLE TO NORMALIZATION.  CELLI SAID THAT 
BEIJING KNOWS "PERFECTLY WELL" THAT TAIWAN IS NOT AN ISSUE. 
ACCORDING TO CELLI, BEJING USES THE TAIWAN ISSUE AS AN EXCUSE 
TO PREVENT DISCUSSION ON THE REAL ISSUE-- THE RIGHT OF THE 
CATHOLIC CHURCH TO NAME ITS OWN BISHOPS. 
 
4. (C) CELLI SAID THAT THE VATICAN KNOWS PRESIDENT BUSH MADE 
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AN INTERVENTION ON ITS BEHALF IN SHANGHAI, AND THAT IT IS 
VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.  THIS TYPE OF HELP IS NEEDED AS THE 
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY IN CHINA IS SUFFERING.  CELLI POINTED TO 
THE FACT THAT WITHIN FIVE OR SIX YEARS, THE MAJORITY OF THE 
ELDERLY BISHOPS WILL PROBABLY DIE.  AS THERE WAS A LONG 
PERIOD IN WHICH THERE WERE NO ORDINATIONS OF PRIESTS AND 
BISHOPS, THESE DYING BISHOPS WILL BE REPLACED BY VERY YOUNG, 
INEXPERIENCED CHURCHMEN.  THUS, THE VATICAN'S GOAL IS TO 
NORMALIZE ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH BEIJING BEFORE THIS OCCURS. 
THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VATICAN TO GUIDE THE TRANSITION. 
 
5. (C) AMBASSADOR ASKED CELLI FOR HIS VIEWS ON VIETNAM. 
CELLI SAID THAT HE IS NO LONGER INVOLVED ON THE VIETNAM 
ISSUE.  THAT SAID, HE BELIEVED THAT THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 
WAS SOMEWHAT IMPROVED THAN WHEN HE WAS LAST THERE FIVE YEARS 
AGO.  AT THAT TIME, HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO VISIT ANY CATHOLIC 
CHURCHES IN HANOI. 
 
6. (C) COMMENT:  THE VATICAN IS RESIGNED TO THE FACT THAT THE 
POPE'S OVERTURE IN OCTOBER FELL ON DEAF EARS.  IT IS NOW 
WAITING UNTIL AFTER MARCH TO RESUME ITS DIPLOMATIC PUSH.  IT 
IS LIKELY FOR THE VATICAN TO MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS TO BEIJING 
TO REESTABLISH ITSELF BEFORE THE END OF THIS DECADE. 
NICHOLSON////////// 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2001VATICA06539 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL