VATICAN PLAYS CHINA GAMBIT. AWAITS CHINA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 005629 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED TEXT SECTION 2) BEIJING PASS CHENGDU DEPARTMENT FOR DRL (FARR); EUR/WE (MENNUTI); EAP/CM (KOEHLER) NSC FOR K JARRETT FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 188/01 E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/11 TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF PINR VT CH SUBJECT: VATICAN PLAYS CHINA GAMBIT. AWAITS CHINA'S MOVE. PRESIDENT HAD DELIVERED A STRONG MESSAGE IN SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND HAD PRIVATELY ASKED PRC PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN TO RESUME DIALOGUE WITH THE VATICAN, CELLI, ESPECIALLY ATTENTIVE, SOLICITED AN URGENT READ-OUT ON JIANG ZEMIN'S RESPONSE. HE REPEATED THIS REQUEST AT MEETING'S CLOSE. ¶7. (C) ACTION REQUEST: EMBASSY REQUESTS GUIDANCE AND TALKING POINTS IN RESPONSE TO VATICAN APPEAL FOR A READOUT ON PRESIDENTIAL DISCUSSIONS IN SHANGHAI AND USG APPRAISAL OF PRC REACTIONS TO THIS PAPAL INITIATIVE. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA05629 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL