President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of June 10 met with the Vatican's new charge d'affairs in Taiwan, Msgr. Paul Fitzpatrick Russell, and his predecessor, Msgr. Ambrose Madtha, at the Presidential Office. On behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), President Ma expressed good wishes to Envoy Madtha and congratulations to the Vatican's new representative to Taiwan Fitzpatrick Russell.
President Ma said that Msgr. Madtha has served as the Holy See's charge d'affairs here for over five years and maintains extremely close ties with many circles throughout Taiwan. The president said that the Taiwan people are extremely impressed with the work carried out by Msgr. Madtha and that everyone should be quite sorry to see him leave Taiwan. President Ma said the Republic of China and the Holy See have long maintained friendly relations. The president noted that former president Chen Shui-bian visited the Vatican in 2005 to attend the funeral of the late Pope John Paul II. President Ma said he hopes that relations between Taiwan and the Holy See will continue to strengthen based on the existing foundation following Msgr. Fitzpatrick Russell's appointment to his new post.
The president said the ROC's incumbent ambassador to the Vatican, Tou Chou-seng, is a good friend of his and is also an extremely senior diplomat. He said Ambassador Tou is extremely capable and that he is confident about the future relations between the two countries with Ambassador Tou stationed in the Holy See. President Ma recalled that over 10 years ago he visited the Vatican in his capacity as a professor and that the trip made a deep impression on him.
President Ma explained to Msgr. Madtha that the ROC presently is beginning to work with Mainland China to improve relations. He said he hopes that a truce can be achieved with Mainland China so that the two sides can co-exist peacefully and work together to promote economic prosperity.
Msgr. Madtha thanked President Ma for meeting with him. He praised Taiwan's economic accomplishments, as well as its achievements in democracy and human rights. He also expressed his confidence that bilateral relations will continue to strengthen and develop after Msgr. Fitzpatrick Russell assumes his new post.
Msgr. Madtha and Msgr. Fitzpatrick Russell were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Elizabeth Y. F. Chu to meet with the president. Also in attendance was National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi.