US embassy cable - 02VATICAN3962

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003962 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENUTTI); DRL/IRF (FARR); EAP/C 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KIRF, CH, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN-CHINA:  HOLY SEE WELCOMES U.S. PUSH ON 
DIALOGUE, BUT EXPECTS LITTLE MOVEMENT PRIOR TO PARTY 
CONGRESS 
 
REF: A. (A)BEIJING 8227 
     B. (B)BEIJING 8237 
     C. (C)BEIJING 8241 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, D. BRENT HARDT.  REASONS: 1.5 (B), (D 
) 
 
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1. (C) SUMMARY:  HOLY SEE CHINA DESK OFFICER, MONSIGNOR 
GIANFRANCO ROTA-GRAZIOSI WELCOMED AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR 
INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM HANFORD'S EFFORTS TO 
ENCOURAGE CHINA TO OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH THE HOLY SEE, BUT 
EXPECTS LITTLE PROGRESS UNTIL AFTER THE LEADERSHIP PICTURE IS 
CLEARER FOLLOWING THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY'S CONFERENCE 
THIS FALL.  HE DESCRIBED THE CHINESE SUGGESTION THAT THE 
VATICAN'S LACK OF CLARITY ON TAIWAN WAS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE 
TO PROGRESS AS A SMOKESCREEN FOR THE PRC'S OWN INDECISION, 
SINCE THE VATICAN HAD REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR ITS WILLINGNESS 
TO MOVE ITS EMBASSY TO BEIJING.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) DCM AND ACTING POLCHIEF MET AUGUST 12 WITH HOLY SEE 
CHINA DESK OFFICER ROTA-GRAZIOSI TO REVIEW THE OUTCOME OF 
AMBASSADOR HANFORD'S AUGUST 5 VISIT TO CHINA (REFTELS) AND 
DISCUSS POTENTIAL AREAS OF PROGRESS IN THE RUN-UP TO THE 
PRESIDENT'S OCTOBER MEETING WITH PRESIDENT JIANG.  DCM 
OBSERVED THAT AMBASSADOR HANFORD WAS SEEKING TO BUILD A 
DIALOGUE WITH OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
ISSUES AND TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE PROGRESS MAY BE 
POSSIBLE, INCLUDING RESUMPTION OF A DIALOGUE WITH THE 
VATICAN, CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS REGISTRATION LAWS, AND THE 
PROVISION OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TO CHILDREN. 
 
3. (C) ON OPENING OF A DIALOGUE WITH THE VATICAN, DCM NOTED 
THE PRC OFFICIALS' ASSERTION THAT THEY WANTED TO NORMALIZE 
RELATIONS WITH THE VATICAN, IF ONLY THE VATICAN COULD CLARIFY 
ITS RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN.  ROTA-GRAZIOSI SAW THIS AS A 
DELAYING TACTIC TO MASK THE CHINESE OWN UNCERTAINTY OVER HOW 
TO PROCEED ON RELIGIOUS ISSUES, AN UNCERTAINTY COMPOUNDED BY 
THE UPCOMING COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE.  HE NOTED 
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THAT SECRETARY OF STATE SODANO HAS TWICE MADE EXPLICIT THE 
HOLY SEE'S WILLINGNESS TO MOVE ITS EMBASSY TO BEIJING 
"TONIGHT NOT TOMORROW" IF THE PRC WAS PREPARED TO OPEN 
RELATIONS, SO THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT WHERE THE HOLY SEE STANDS 
ON TAIWAN.  ROTA-GRAZIOSI SAID THE VATICAN WAS PREPARED TO 
MAKE "THE LEAP OF FAITH" TO THE PRC'S "ONE-CHINA" POLICY, 
EVEN WHILE HE LAMENTED THAT THIS DID NOT REALLY REFLECT 
TAIWAN'S GLOBAL ROLE AND STATUS. 
 
4. (C) REACTING TO THE CONCERN RAISED TO AMBASSADOR HANFORD 
ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE POPE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE OCTOBER 2000 
CANONIZATION OF CHINESE MARTYRS,  MONSIGNOR ROTA-GRAZIOSI 
SAID THE POPE "WOULD NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR THE CANONIZATION." 
ON THE OTHER HAND, HE NOTED THAT THE POPE HAD ALREADY 
APOLOGIZED FOR THE CHURCH'S "MISTAKES" IN THE PAST.  HE 
LAMENTED THAT THE HOLY SEE HAS YET TO HEAR ANY FORMAL 
RECOGNITION OF OR RESPONSE TO THIS OCTOBER 2001 APOLOGY. 
 
5.  (C) ROTA-GRAZIOSI EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR USG EFFORTS 
TO FOSTER A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND CHINA AND FOR 
OUR EFFORT TO PRESS FOR SHORTER AND MEDIUM-TERM CHANGES IN 
RESTRICTIVE CHINESE POLICIES.  HE WAS SKEPTICAL, HOWEVER, 
THAT CHINA WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, ADDING THAT IT WILL 
"TAKE YEARS, IF NOT DECADES" FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO 
TRULY BE PREPARED TO EMBRACE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.  HE EXPECTS 
THE PRC WILL CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TAIWAN AND THE POPE'S 
CANONIZATION OF CHINESE MARTYRS TO AVOID AN OPEN DIALOGUE 
WITH THE VATICAN.  ROTA-GRAZIOSI SAID THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES 
PROGRESS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CHINA CAN BEST BE MADE BY 
PROMOTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN THE BROADEST SENSE FOR ALL 
BELIEFS.  HE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT USG EFFORTS WILL PAY 
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DIVIDENDS, BUT SAID CHANGING THE PRC'S ATTITUDES IS "LIKE 
DROPS OF WATER SCULPTING THE STONE". 
HARDT 
 
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 2002VATICA03962 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL