VZCZCXRO3180
RR RUEHCN RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHSR
DE RUEHROV #0038/01 0601132
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 011132Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0262
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0001
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0290

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (JLARREA), DRL (PKELLY, EKAO), EAP/CM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  3/1/2016 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV VT CH
SUBJECT: CARDINAL  ZEN: A SHOT ACROSS THE BOWS TO BEIJING? 
 
REF: A. VATICAN 000543, B. HONG KONG 000755, C. BEIJING 0003624 
 
VATICAN 00000038  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Fleur Cowan, Political Officer, POL, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (C) The nomination of Cardinal-elect Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun is a 
clear signal from the Holy See to Beijing.  The nomination 
highlights several issues: the importance of China and the 
Catholic Chinese to Pope Benedict; the Vatican's support for 
Zen's past strong public statements for religious freedom and 
democracy, and the Holy See's endorsement of Zen's encouragement 
of ties between the underground and Patriotic Association 
churches.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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SUPPORT FOR ZEN'S STATEMENTS ON CHINA 
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¶2. (C) Holy See Country Director for China Monsignor Gianfranco 
Rota Graziosi emphasized that the nomination of Cardinal-elect 
Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun shows the importance of China to the 
Pope, and that China must be represented in the College of 
Cardinals.  Rota Graziosi said he hoped the Chinese government 
would take the nomination with equanimity.  He noted, "Critics 
may disagree with Zen's methods but not the substance of his 
arguments." 
 
¶3. (C) Rota Graziosi noted that Zen is comfortable with the 
media, and during his attendance at last year's synod of Bishops 
in Rome, Zen gave interviews to multiple Vatican-focused news 
agencies.  Rota-Graziosi indicated that the Holy See has now 
publicly shown that it supports Zen's statements and is sticking 
to its position on dialogue with China: the end of the Patriotic 
Association's control over naming bishops and interference in 
the internal affairs of the Catholic church.  (ref A) 
Rota-Graziosi does not expect Cardinal-elect Zen to be appointed 
to a curial position, as Zen has diocesan responsibilities to 
attend to in Hong Kong. 
 
¶4. (C) [Comment: Per ref B, we note that there is no nuncio in 
Hong Kong.  Rota-Graziosi observed that Eugene Nugent, the 
Vatican representative in Hong Kong in charge of the See of 
China, is not in a position to be involved in any Holy See-China 
negotiations, as he has no diplomatic or official status.  "He 
must be discreet.  Neutral -- like rain falling from the sky," 
Rota-Graziosi emphasized.  End comment.] 
 
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NEW PARTNER FOR HOLY SEE-CHINA DIALOGUE 
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¶5. (C) Father Bernardo Cervellera, director of AsiaNews agency, 
and a China expert, does not believe the nomination of Zen to 
cardinal will impede dialogue between China and the Holy See. 
Cervellera affirmed that, "His nomination just makes the policy 
and the requirements of the Holy See clear: Full freedom of 
religion, no control [of the Catholic church] by the Patriotic 
Association, and the Taiwan issue faced after official dialogue 
begins."  Georgio Huang, First Secretary of the Taiwanese 
Embassy to the Holy See echoed Cervellera's comments saying that 
the nomination was, "a good idea from everyone's point of view." 
 Huang felt that, "it won't hurt relations with Beijing, as they 
respect frankness." 
 
¶6. (C) Cervellera noted his personal hope that Pope Benedict 
will use Zen as his point person to work with China.  As "until 
now, during the pontificate of John Paul II everyone elected 
themselves as "an important instrument" for dialogue with 
China," He noted Holy See officials such as Cardinals Sodano, 
Celli, Etchegaray, and Sepe who have been involved in shaping 
the Vatican's China policy. However, he accepted that the 
Secretariat of State would continue to shape policy on relations 
 
SIPDIS 
with China. 
 
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ZEN VIEWED AS BRIDGE BETWEEN CHURCHES 
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¶7. (C) During the October 2005 Synod of Bishops in Rome, 
Cardinal-elect Zen spoke publicly about the blurring distinction 
between the official and underground churches.  Zen told the 
assembled bishops "the Church in China, which appears to be 
divided in two -- an official one recognized by the government, 
and an underground one which refuses to be independent from Rome 
-- is actually a single Church, as everyone wants to stay united 
with Pope."  Shanghai-born Zen has additional credibility at the 
Holy See due to his time spent on the mainland teaching 
seminarians.  Cervellera feels that Zen strengthened relations 
between the two branches of the Church and is respected by both. 
 
VATICAN 00000038  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
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COMMENT: 
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¶8. (C) The nomination of Cardinal-elect Joseph Zen is another 
clear signal from the Holy See that China is extremely important 
to Pope Benedict XVI, but that the issue of diplomatic relations 
does not trump religious freedom for all Catholic Chinese.  This 
nomination is a shot across the bows to Beijing; despite its 
desire for diplomatic relations with China, the Holy See has 
visibly put its support behind Cardinal-elect Zen, his past 
strong public support for democracy and religious freedom, and 
the encouragement of ties between the two churches. 
 
¶9. (C) Some Vatican watchers have reported that Zen may get a 
curial appointment.  Post does not believe this is likely as Zen 
has extensive diocesan responsibilities, is close to the 
mandatory retirement age, and it is very rare for a cardinal to 
be called to Rome for a curial job.  If the Pope had intended to 
transfer him the move should have taken place when Zen was still 
a "simple" bishop.  Our contacts here in Rome doubt that 
Cardinal Zen's election will stop him from continuing to 
criticize China's political system, making statements praising 
the underground church and being involved in the appointment of 
bishops on the Mainland, despite Chinese Foreign Ministry and 
Catholic Patriotic Association hopes to the contrary.  (ref C) 
Embassy looks forward to further reporting from Hong Kong and 
Beijing from their perspective.  END COMMENT. 
SANDROLINI