Longtime diplomat says Vatican ready to begin dialogue with Chinese

Published: 2005-09-21

ROME (CNS) -- A longtime Vatican diplomat who specialized in relations with reluctant Asian governments said the Vatican "is ready to begin a constructive dialogue with Chinese authorities tomorrow, or rather, this very night." Archbishop Claudio Celli, secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See and a former top official in the Vatican Secretariat of State, spoke Sept. 20 in Rome. The archbishop made his remarks after receiving the Freinademetz Award from the Divine Word Missionaries for his contributions to improving understanding between the peoples of China and Europe. Archbishop Celli said that although the process of rapprochement between the Vatican and China has not reached an official, formal level contacts have existed for several years. While the Catholic Church wants to normalize its relations with China and ensure full religious freedom for its faithful there, the church is not alone in having a responsibility to forge stronger ties with the country, he said. "Development and a commitment to peace require a great new relationship with China," he said.

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