TAIWAN AT THE HOLY SEE: CLINGING TO ITS LAST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001033

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2008
TAGS: CH PREL TW PREL TW VT VTCH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN AT THE HOLY SEE: CLINGING TO ITS LAST
TOEHOLD IN EUROPE?

CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D)


1. (U) SUMMARY: WHILE TAIWAN IS WELL AWARE THAT THE HOLY
SEE WILL SHIFT ITS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS TO BEIJING AS SOON
AS IT CAN; TAIPEI CONTINUES TO USE ITS LAST EMBASSY IN EUROPE
TO PRESENT ITSELF AS A MATURE DEMOCRATIC STATE THAT PLAYS A
CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS IN ALL OF CHINA AND THROUGHOUT ASIA. DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS BETWEEN TAIWAN AND THE HOLY SEE OFFER UNIQUE
ADVANTAGES TO EACH. FOR TAIWAN, RELATIONS WITH THE HOLY SEE
REPRESENT A PRESTIGIOUS LAST STAND IN EUROPE, ALLOWING
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CONTACT BETWEEN TAIWANESE DIPLOMATS AND THE 71 OTHER MISSIONS
TO THE HOLY SEE RESIDENT IN ROME. TO THE HOLY SEE, THESE
RELATIONS ARE BOTH A BARGAINING CHIP IN ITS DIALOGUE WITH THE
PRC AND A MEANS TO SUPPORT THE 300,000 CATHOLICS IN TAIWAN.
FOR NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PRC AND THE HOLY
SEE TO TAKE PLACE, THE PRC INSISTS ON THE HOLY SEE BREAKING
ITS TIES WITH TAIWAN, WHILE THE HOLY SEE INSISTS THAT PRC
RECOGNIZE THE FUNDAMENTAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM EMBEDDED IN THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND THE POPE. THE TAIWAN
MISSION TO THE HOLY SEE TAKES FULL ADVANTAGE OF ITS PRESENCE
IN ROME TO INTERACT WITH THE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY, ENGAGE
BROADER EUROPEAN CIVIL SOCIETY, AND MAKE THE MOST OF ONE OF
THEIR BEST LISTENING POSTS. END SUMMARY.

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A JEWEL IN TAIWAN'S DIPLOMATIC CROWN
--------------


2. (U) JUST AS THE SITUATION OF THE CHURCH IN CHINA IS
SOMEWHAT AMBIGUOUS, SO IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAIPEI AND
VATICAN CITY. THE HOLY SEE IS THE ONLY EUROPEAN STATE THAT
MAINTAINS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WERE FIRST ESTABLISHED IN 1942, AND THE HOLY SEE
CONTINUED RELATIONS WITH THE NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT WHEN, IN
1950, THE CHINESE COMMUNISTS IN BEIJING SEVERED TIES WITH THE
HOLY SEE AS A PART OF THEIR BROADER EFFORTS TO PURGE CHINA OF
FOREIGN INFLUENCES. THE HOLY SEE MAINTAINS ITS DIPLOMATIC
PRESENCE IN CHINA FROM HONG KONG, NOT TAIPEI, TO SIGNAL THIS
IS A "TEMPORARY" SITUATION THAT AWAITS NORMALIZATION IN ITS
DIPLOMATIC TIES TO BEIJING. ASYMMETRICALLY, THE HOLY SEE
PERMITS TAIPEI TO MAINTAIN A FULL EMBASSY HERE IN ROME. THUS
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PAGE 03 VATICA 01033 01 OF 02 150544Z
FOR TAIPEI, APART FROM THE STAR-CROSSED ADVENTURE IN
MACEDONIA, THEIR DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN THE VATICAN
REPRESENTS A LAST TOEHOLD IN EUROPE. TO THE HOLY SEE,
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN REPRESENT A BARGAINING CHIP
THAT IT WOULD NOT HESITATE TO USE IN ORDER TO GAIN NORMALIZED
RELATIONS WITH THE PRC (AND ITS TEN MILLION CATHOLICS). THE
HOLY SEE APPEARS CONTENT TO HOLD ON TO THIS CARD WHILE
ATTEMPTING TO REOPEN DIALOGUE WITH BEIJING. THE TAIWANESE
RECOGNIZE THAT PRC INSISTENCE ON SEVERING HOLY SEE/TAIWAN
TIES BEFORE CHINA/HOLY SEE RELATIONS CAN BE ESTABLISHED IS A
SWORD OF DAMOCLES HANGING OVER THEM. ITS THREAD, HOWEVER,
SHOWS NO SIGNS OF FRAYING JUST YET.


3. (C) THE TAIWAN EMBASSY TO THE HOLY SEE SEEKS TO
CAPITALIZE ON THIS FULL DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE BY VIGOROUSLY
WORKING ALL THE CONTACTS AVAILABLE TO IT TO ASSOCIATE TAIWAN
WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN IMPERATIVES OF HOLY
SEE FOREIGN POLICY. AMBASSADOR RAYMOND TAI, A SEASONED
TAIWAN DIPLOMAT, MISSES NO OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE TAIWAN
FLAG AT VATICAN-RELATED OFFICIAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS. TAI HAS
STATED THAT HE IS "GREATLY HONORED TO REPRESENT ALL FREEDOM
AND PEACE-LOVING CHINESE PEOPLE AT THE VATICAN, WHERE THE
PAPACY IS A STAUNCH DEFENDER OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS."
THIS THEME WAS ESTABLISHED WHEN TAI PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS
TO THE POPE. THE POPE SAID, "TAIWAN IS FREE!" TO WHICH TAI
REPLIED "LET'S JOIN HANDS IN MAKING MAINLAND CHINA FREE."
TAIWAN'S PRESENCE AT THE HOLY SEE ALSO OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES
TO MONITOR AND INTERACT WITH CLERGY WHO COME AND GO FROM
WITHIN CHINA AND WHO OFTEN WORK WITH ISOLATED CHINESE
COMMUNITIES. THE EUROPEAN BASE FURTHER OFFERS TAI A
SPRINGBOARD TO SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS EUROPE-WIDE, WHERE HE
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PAGE 04 VATICA 01033 01 OF 02 150544Z
INVARIABLY PRESENTS TAIWAN AS A STAUNCH DEFENDER OF DEMOCRACY
AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

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WORKING ALL THE ANGLES
--------------


3. (U) REFLECTING THE IMPORTANCE IT PLACES ON ITS LAST
TOEHOLD IN EUROPE TAIWAN MAINTAINS A COMPARATIVELY LARGE AND
ACTIVE STAFF IN ITS EMBASSY. EMBASSY STAFF MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE
PRESENCE AT ALL OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS AS WELL AS MANY SOCIAL
FUNCTIONS. THEY HAVE SOUGHT TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN
ADVANCING HUMANITARIAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES, SUPPORTING AN

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CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8715

PAGE 01 VATICA 01033 02 OF 02 150548Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 AIT-03 EAP-00 TEDE-00 IO-00 P-00 SAS-00
/003W
-------------- 44CC8B 150549Z /32
R 130517Z MAR 03
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY BEIJING
AMEMBASSY SEOUL
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
AMCONSUL HONG KONG
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI
AMCONSUL SHENYANG
AIT TAIPEI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001033

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2008
TAGS: CH PREL TW PREL TW VT VTCH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN AT THE HOLY SEE: CLINGING TO ITS LAST
TOEHOLD IN EUROPE?

ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE AND ENGAGING IN A RECENT BIOTECH
IN AFRICA SEMINAR POST HOSTED AT AN OFF-SITE LOCATION. THE
TAIWAN STAFF IS ADEPT AT KEEPING THE PULSE OF THE DIPLOMATIC
COMMUNITY BY FREQUENTLY 'WINING AND DINING' DIPLOMATS
RESIDENT IN ROME, AND ORGANIZING FAREWELL DINNERS FOR
COLLEAGUES IN THE BROADER DIPLOMATIC CORPS. THE TAIWAN
EMBASSY WAS SECOND ONLY TO THE USG IN DONATIONS TO THE WORLD
CONFERENCE ON THE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS HELD AT THE
GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY IN ROME IN MAY 2002. TAIWAN ALSO SEEKS
TO ASSOCIATE ITSELF WITH THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRATIC NATIONS
IN THE HOLY SEE DIPLOMATIC CORPS. IN FACT, THEY ARE ALSO
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PAGE 02 VATICA 01033 02 OF 02 150548Z
GENEROUS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR DIVERSE CONFERENCES
AND CHARITABLE PROJECTS. TAIWAN EMBASSY FIRST SECRETARY
PETER TING RECENTLY TOLD POLOFF THAT A KEY GOAL OF HIS
EMBASSY IS TO ACTIVELY SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH
THE U.S. EMBASSY.

-------------- --------------
AFTER THE HOLY SEE ESTABLISHES RELATIONS WITH PRC
-------------- --------------


4. (C) THE TAIWAN EMBASSY IS WELL AWARE OF THE HOLY SEE'S
DESIRE TO RE-ESTABLISH NORMALIZED RELATIONS WITH THE PRC.
THEY ARE ALSO AWARE THAT THE HOLY SEE IS READY AND WILLING TO
CUT DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS
POSSIBLE. PETER TING TOLD POLOFF THAT THERE IS SPECULATION
THAT FAIRLY LARGE CHANGES COULD OCCUR WITH THE NEW PRC
GOVERNMENT, AND THESE COULD BEGIN UNLOCKING THE HOLY
SEE/BEIJING DIALOGUE ON NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS. WHILE
TAIWAN LOATH TO LOSE ITS LAST DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN EUROPE,
IT DOES WANT TO ASSIST IN BRINGING DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
TO CHINA, EVEN AT THE COST OF LOSING THAT MISSION. AFTER THE
HOLY SEE TRANSFERS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS TO PRC, TAIWAN WOULD
LIKELY CONTINUE CULTURAL RELATIONS OUT OF ITS CO-LOCATED
TRADE OFFICE TO ITALY, MAINLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF RELIGIOUS
DIALOGUE. WHILE CURRENT PLANNING IS TO MERGE THE CURRENT
MISSION WITH THE TRADE OFFICE, THE POSSIBILITY OF
ESTABLISHING A CULTURAL OFFICE TO THE HOLY SEE IS BEING
CONSIDERED.

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COMMENT
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5. (C) POST SOMETIMES MUST HOLD OUR TAIWAN FRIENDS AT ARM'S
LENGTH BECAUSE OF THEIR DETERMINED ATTEMPTS TO ASSOCIATE
THEMSELVES WITH THE USG. AN EXAMPLE IS THEIR INSISTENCE ON
"JOINING THE US" IN SUPPORTING AN ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROJECT
FUNDED BY PD/ECA. AMBASSADOR TAI INVITED AMBASSADOR
NICHOLSON, THEN DCM AND POLOFF TO JOIN THE TAIWAN DELEGATION
IN PRESENTING A CHECK TO THE CARITAS PROJECT IMPLEMENTERS.
WE POLITELY DECLINED, SIMPLY REFERRING THEM TO THE CARITAS
OFFICE. THAT SAID, THE TAIWANESE, TOGETHER WITH OUR OTHER
"ACTION ORIENTED" COLLEAGUES SUCH AS THE IRISH, CANADIANS AND
AUSTRIANS, ARE A USEFUL ALLY IN GAINING THE SUPPORT OF
COLLEAGUES TO ADVANCE ISSUES WITHIN THE STOLID HOLY SEE
DIPLOMATIC CORPS. AS NOTED ABOVE, TAIWAN ASSISTANCE WAS
HELPFUL IN OUR EFFORTS TO HOLD A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS LAST MAY. POST WILL
CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE TAIWANESE ACTIVISM AT THE HOLY SEE
WITHOUT CROSSING ANY DIPLOMATIC "RED LINES" IN OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.


6. (C) TAIWAN MOREOVER IS EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN THE "ASIA
GROUP" OF EMBASSIES ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE. AMBASSADOR
TAI FACILITATED OUR EMBASSY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE ASIA
GROUP'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN DECEMBER OF 2001. AMBASSADOR
NICHOLSON SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMBATING
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AT THAT MEETING WITH TAI'S HELP,
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTIONS OF THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR.

NICHOLSON

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2003VATICA01033 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL