Pope lauds President Ma for working to ease tensions

The pope commended Ma in talks with the new ROC ambassador to the Holy See, Larry Y.Y. Wang, Saturday, the sources said, adding that the talks followed a ceremony in which Wang presented his credentials to the pontiff.

Pope Benedict was quoted as having told Wang that frank and constructive dialogue is the key to the resolution of the conflicts that threaten the stability of the world.

“In this regard, the Holy See welcomes the recent positive developments in relations between Taiwan and mainland China, “ the pope was quoted as saying to Wang.

He also asked Wang to convey his cordial good wishes and the assurance of his prayers to Ma, who is the first Catholic to be elected president of the ROC.

For his part, Wang told the pope that Ma looks forward to making a pilgrimage to the Vatican on behalf of all Catholics and other people in Taiwan and to brief the pope in person on the progress of cross-strait relations since his inauguration.

Thanks to Ma’s conciliatory approach toward China, Wang said, the long-stalled cross-strait dialogue has resumed and China’s top point man on Taiwan, Chen Yunlin, made history Nov.6 when he met Ma briefly in Taipei.

Wang told Benedict that Chen’s Nov. 3-7 visit was of historic significance, as it has paved the way for closer cooperation between the two former bitter rivals.

During Chen’s visit, the two sides signed four agreements that will allow them to cooperate on air travel, cargo shipment, mail delivery and food safety control, Wang said.

Inspired by the pope’s annual message for World Peace Day, Wang said, the ROC government has continuously cooperated with the Vatican in carrying out international humanitarian relief and charitable activities to help countries and regions in need.

“We’ll continue to do so in the years to come, “ Wang was quoted as having assured the pope.

The Vatican is the only European state that maintains formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

China’s communist regime broke diplomatic ties with the Vatican in 1951 after the Roman Catholic city-state recognized Taiwan. In 1957, Beijing set up an official Catholic church which does not acknowledge the pope as its head.

The Vatican has said on many occasions that it would resume formal ties with Beijing only if religious freedom is guaranteed in mainland China and the pope is allowed to appoint Catholic bishops there.

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