HOLY SEE WOULD WELCOME CONTINUED PRESIDENTIAL PUSH

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005194 SIPDIS BEIJING ALSO PASS AMCONSUL CHENGDU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2012 TAGS: PREL KIRF CH VT SUBJECT: HOLY SEE WOULD WELCOME CONTINUED PRESIDENTIAL PUSH FOR GREATER RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES D. BRENT HARDT FOR REASON 1.5(B) AND ( D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: WHEN PRESIDENT BUSH MEETS WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG OCTOBER 24 IN CRAWFORD, THE HOLY SEE WOULD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 05194 231549Z WELCOME A CONTINUED STRONG PRESIDENTIAL PUSH FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA, REINFORCING THE MESSAGE THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED IN HIS LAST MEETING WITH JIANG. HOLY SEE FOREIGN MINISTER ARCHBISHOP JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN TOLD CHARGE OCTOBER 22 THAT THE HOLY SEE GREATLY APPRECIATED THE PRESIDENT'S EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE POSITION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HIS LAST MEETING, AND BELIEVES A REITERATION OF THE SAME POINTS AT THIS TIME WOULD BE HELPFUL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE HOLY SEE IS NOT CONVINCED THAT THE TIMING IS PROPITIOUS TO PRESS TOO HARD FOR SPECIFIC CONCESSIONS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH PRIOR TO THE COMMUNIST PARTY CONGRESS, AS JIANG MAY BE LESS RECEPTIVE NOW THAN AFTER THE CONGRESS. RATHER, THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR PRESIDENT BUSH TO INSIST ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR ALL FAITHS IN CHINA AND TO CONVEY THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD WELCOME NORMAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE HOLY SEE. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) ACCORDING TO FM TAURAN AND VATICAN CHINA DESK OFFICER ROTA-GRAZIOSI, THE HOLY SEE BELIEVES THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CHINA WILL BENEFIT MOST THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL ADVANCEMENT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA. THE HOLY SEE WOULD WELCOME THE PRESIDENT'S AFFIRMATION OF UNITED STATES' SUPPORT FOR NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND CHINA AND FOR CHINESE GOODWILL GESTURES TOWARD THE CHURCH. SUCH GESTURES COULD INCLUDE PERMISSION FOR A SENIOR HOLY SEE REPRESENTATIVE TO VISIT A LOCAL CHINESE CHURCH OR AN EASING OF THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE MANY BISHOPS AND PRIESTS BEING HELD IN POLICE CUSTODY, HOUSE ARREST OR UNDER HEAVY SURVEILLANCE. OVER THE LONGER TERM, THE HOLY SEE WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHINESE AUTHORITIES PERMIT THE ORDINATION OF CHINESE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 05194 231549Z BISHOPS AND PRIESTS BY THE POPE AS WELL AS THE PILGRIMAGES AND OTHER VISITS OF CATHOLIC AUTHORITIES TO THE HOLY SEE. ¶3. (C) THE KEY TO SINO-VATICAN RELATIONS AT THIS JUNCTURE, THEY BELIEVE, IS FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE SPECIFIC LINK BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND THE HOLY SEE. ACCORDING TO ROTA-GRAZIOZI, THE CHINESE REMAIN GRIPPED WITH FEAR THAT CATHOLIC CHURCH MEMBERSHIP WOULD THREATEN CHINESE CIVIL POWER. HE BELIEVED SUCH FEARS COULD BE ALLAYED IF THE CHINESE BETTER UNDERSTOOD THAT CATHOLIC FAITHFUL DO NOT ALWAYS FOLLOW THE HOLY SEE'S POSITIONS ON INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL ISSUES AND THAT PAPAL AUTHORITY IS A SPIRITUAL, NOT POLITICAL, MATTER. HARDT NOTE: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S) CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA05194 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL