Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI1671
2005-04-06 23:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

FM CHEN REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE FOR VATICAN VISIT

Tags:  PREL CH TW 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 001671 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015
TAGS: PREL CH TW
SUBJECT: FM CHEN REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE FOR VATICAN VISIT

Classified By: AIT Acting Director David J. Keegan, Reason: 1.4 (B/D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 001671

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015
TAGS: PREL CH TW
SUBJECT: FM CHEN REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE FOR VATICAN VISIT

Classified By: AIT Acting Director David J. Keegan, Reason: 1.4 (B/D)


1. (C) Foreign Minister Mark Chen contacted AIT on April 6 to
ask for USG assistance with President Chen Shui-bian's
planned trip to the Vatican on April 8 to attend memorial
services for Pope John Paul II. FM Chen said that the Holy
See has received approval from the Italian government to
grant the Taiwan delegation clearance to attend the funeral
ceremonies, but FM Chen registered concern that Beijing might
pressure the Italian government to reverse its decision. He
requested that the USG encourage the Italian government not
to respond to PRC intervention on the visit.


2. (C) FM Chen told AIT that the Vatican representative on
April 4 extended a personal invitation for President Chen to
attend the Pope's memorial services. The Foreign Minister
said that the government has charted a Boeing 747 aircraft to
take the President and a small party to Rome. In addition to
the Foreign Minister and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary
General Ma Yung-chen, Chen said the formal five-person
delegation will likely include the president of the Fu-Jen
Catholic University and Chairman of the cabinet's Aboriginal
Affairs Commission Wallis Peilin, whom Chen described as a
devout Catholic. Chen said the delegation would depart
Taipei on the evening of April 7 and leave Rome on the
afternoon of April 8. He added that there would be no
overnight stay nor any meetings on the margins of the
memorial ceremony.


3. (C) Separately, working level MOFA officials told AIT that
the Italian government has assured Taiwan representatives in
Rome that the President and his party would be able to
transit Italy to attend the ceremony. MOFA reported that the
Vatican has asked that the delegation not remain overnight in
Rome. MOFA officials believe the request was related to the
lack of hotel space in Rome and did not represent a move to
downgrade the status of Taiwan's delegation.
KEEGAN