Vatican Official: Pope Prepared to Break China Stalemate

VATICAN, Oct 26, 01 (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II would be prepared to sign an accord with the government of China, in order to break a 50-year diplomatic stalemate, according to one ranking Vatican official.

Archbishop Giuseppe Pittau, the secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, told the Italian daily newspaper Avvenire that the Pope "would be ready to sign an accord with China tomorrow." The Jesuit prelate said that the Pontiff is frustrated by a situation which is "frozen in place," and would immediately accept an invitation to visit Beijing.

As for the two conditions that Beijing has consistently stipulated as the basis for any discussion of diplomatic relations-- a Vatican promise not to interfere in "internal affairs" (including the naming of Catholic bishops), and a break in diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Taiwan-- Archbishop Pittau expressed confidence that "technical solutions" could be found to allow an agreement.

Catholic World News Service - Daily News Briefs
26. oktober 2001