VZCZCXRO0704
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0160/01 0551009
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241009Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9179
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5597
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7231
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0062
RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000160 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF and DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV PREL VM
 
SUBJECT: Vatican Discuses Normalizing Relations, Raises Papal Visit 
 
REF: A) 08 Hanoi 1321 B) 08 Hanoi 736 
 
HANOI 00000160  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Monsignor Pietro Parolin, Holy See 
Under-Secretary for Relations with States, travelled to Vietnam 
February 15-22 at the invitation of the GVN to begin bilateral 
discussions on normalization of relations under the rubric of a 
Joint Working Group.  During the visit, Parolin raised the 
possibility of a Papal visit in 2009, stating that it was his "wish" 
that the Pope would visit Vietnam.  The Vatican also agreed to a 
joint communique which acknowledged progress in religious freedom in 
Vietnam and promised that that Church would not use its religious 
activities for "political purposes."  Msgr. Parolin's recent visit 
continues to push the Vatican and GVN closer while also ensuring 
local Catholics stay within the fold.  This recent delegation, the 
18th in a series of such visits to Vietnam since 1990, highlights 
the commitment that both sides attach to working through issues 
affecting Vietnam's Catholic community, the second largest in Asia. 
END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
Joint Working Group Established 
------------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU) During Msgr. Parolin's last visit in June 2008 (Ref B), 
the two sides agreed to establish a Vietnam - Holy See Joint Working 
Group headed by a deputy foreign minister on each side to discuss 
bilateral relations.  Leading up to the talks on a recent visit to 
Europe, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan informed our 
counterparts in the EU that the GVN took the talks seriously and 
that Vietnam would act on re-establishing relations with the Vatican 
well before China took action.  Msgr. Parolin's visit marked the 
first meeting of the Joint Working Group, where he met with his 
counterpart VFM Nguyen Quoc Cuong.  Both sides acknowledged that 
while concrete results were not forthcoming from the first round of 
talks, the formal creation of the Joint Working Group was an 
"important step" towards re-establishing relations.  Parolin also 
stated that although the exact timeframe of normalization was not 
certain, the eventual outcome of the talks would be re-establishment 
of diplomatic relations.  In an upbeat press conference after the 
second day of talks, Parolin said, "This is the first time that 
we've met with a formal, public agenda on the matter of diplomatic 
relations between the Holy See and Vietnam -- that is progress." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On February 19, the Ambassador spoke with VFM Cuong about 
the Joint Working Group and Cuong relayed that the GVN was pleased 
with the results.  While noting that normalization of relations 
would not take place any time soon, he said that the bilateral talks 
were good starting point and that they would proceed in a "step by 
step" fashion.  He highlighted that that this was the first time 
both sides had spoken explicitly of renormalization of relations, 
which marked progress in the relationship.  On February 23, Poloff 
spoke with Father Nguyen Xuan Thuy, Chief Administrator for the 
Archbishop of Hanoi, regarding the visit.  While Father Thuy 
downplayed the accomplishments and stated that no new ground had 
been broken in the discussions, he acknowledged that establishment 
of the Joint Working Group was an important step forward.  Father 
Thuy also admitted that local Catholics remain hurt by actions taken 
by the government during last year's property dispute, but that the 
Vatican continues to push the relationship forward. 
 
Joint Communique Issued 
----------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) The two parties also issued a joint communique following 
the talks, which stated that the meetings took place in an 
atmosphere of "openness, frankness and mutual respect."  The Vatican 
recognized the "positive progress in the religious life in Vietnam" 
and, in a veiled reference to last year's property disputes, 
promised that "the Church's religious activities would not be 
conducted for political purposes."  The Vatican also stressed that 
the Church teaches parishioners "to be good citizens, working for 
the common good of the country." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) During his visit, Msgr. Parolin also met with Chairman of 
the Committee for Religious Affairs Nguyen The Doanh and later 
traveled to visit the two northern Catholic diocese in Bui Chu and 
Thai Binh.  Parolin was accompanied by two Vietnamese priests 
working at the Holy See: Msgr. Francis Cao Minh Dung, head of the 
Bureau of South East Asian Affairs at the Secretariat of State, and 
Msgr. Barnabe Nguyen Van Phuong, bureau chief at the Congregation 
for the Evangelization of Peoples. 
 
Papal Visit This Year? 
---------------------- 
¶6.  (SBU) Msgr. Parolin created quite a stir in the Catholic 
community when he told the press that it was his "wish" that the 
Pope could visit Vietnam later this year.  He later hedged his 
comments by clarifying that that a Papal visit was something that 
 
HANOI 00000160  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
had not yet been agreed to by the GVN.  He also informed the press 
that the GVN had turned down earlier requests for the Pope to visit 
Vietnam.  MFA spokesman Le Dung stated that if the Vatican were to 
submit a formal request that the GVN would consider it, but that at 
this time no formal request has been made. 
 
¶7.  (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Ho Chi Minh City. 
 
Michalak