VATICAN: BALL IN CHINA'S COURT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003820

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; DRL/IRF FOR INBODEN, EAP/CM
BEIJING PASS TO CHENGDU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2013
TAGS: CH KIRF PHUM PINR PREL VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN: BALL IN CHINA'S COURT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

REF: A. A) STATE 240681

B. B) STATE 222664 (NOTAL)

CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, D. BRENT HARDT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AN
D (D)


1. (C) MEETING AUGUST 20 WITH HOLY SEE DEPUTY FOREIGN
MINISTER PIETRO PAROLIN, DCM RAISED THE CURRENT RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM SITUATION IN CHINA, BUILDING ON REF A DEMARCHE TO EU
COUNTRIES AND REF B DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BILATERAL DIALOGUE.
WITHOUT REFERRING DIRECTLY TO CARDINAL MCCARRICK'S RECENT
CONVERSATIONS IN BEIJING (REF B),PAROLIN SAID THE HOLY SEE
UNDERSTOOD THAT CHINA'S GOAL WAS TO RESOLVE KEY RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM ISSUES PRIOR TO THE BEIJING OLYMPICS. HE NOTED
CHINA'S RECENT EFFORTS TO RESOLVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES WITH THE
DALAI LAMA, AND SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS
NEXT IN LINE. DESPITE THESE INDICATIONS, PAROLIN POINTED OUT
THAT THE HOLY SEE HAS YET TO SEE ANY CONCRETE STEPS TO BACK
UP THE ALLEGED CHINESE DESIRE TO MAKE PROGRESS, AND SAID HE
REMAINED TO BE CONVINCED THAT ANYTHING CONCRETE WOULD ARISE
FROM THE CHINESE ANY TIME SOON IN THIS REGARD.


2. (C) RESPONDING TO OUR QUERIES ABOUT THE STATE OF THE HOLY
SEE'S DIALOGUE AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE BROADER HUMAN
RIGHTS SITUATION IN CHINA, PAROLIN AGREED WITH U.S.
PERCEPTIONS THAT THERE HAD BEEN LITTLE PROGRESS OVER THE PAST
YEAR. WHILE THE HOLY SEE WAS STILL HOPING FOR PROGRESS IN
CHINA, PAROLIN NOTED THAT SIGNS SEEM TO BE POINTING "IN THE
OPPOSITE DIRECTION." PAROLIN ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE NEW
GOVERNMENT'S INSECURITIES AND NEED TO BECOME MORE STABILIZED.
DESPITE ITS FAILURE THUS FAR TO ACT, CHINA APPEARED TO BE
DOING ALL IT COULD TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT IT IS READY FOR A
"NEW KIND OF RELATIONSHIP." FOR THE VATICAN, HOWEVER, "THE
BALL IS IN CHINA'S COURT," AS THE POPE HAD TAKEN SOME KEY
STEPS REQUESTED BY BEIJING WITHOUT ANY SUBSEQUENT CHINESE
ACTION. THE KEY ISSUE FOR THE HOLY SEE, PAROLIN CONCLUDED,
WILL BE THE HOLY SEE'S ABILITY TO HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP
WITH CHINESE CATHOLICS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE.

HARDT

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2003VATICA03820 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL