Vatican hope to end

split in Zaire
FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT THE Vatican has been striving to reopen negotiations with the government of Zaire, the former Belgian Congo, where Church and state have collided over the government's drive for Africanisation.
This was made known recently by the Vatican daily newspaper, L'Osseryatore Romano, which broke a long and diplomatically inspired silence to speak of the Vatican's "deep concern" over developments in the vast African country.
The newspaper said: 'What is known about the situation as well as the reports
that continue to arrive, although fragmentary and not always verifiable, are such as to arouse sharp pain and deep concern.
"The Holy See is not willing, however, to abandon hope that a dialogue capable of finding acceptable solutions is still possible. It is continuing to work toward this with all zeal."
Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko has publicly denounced Cardinal Joseph Malula of Kinshasa for opposing his "authentication" campaign to uproot every trace of European influence and make every aspect of life thoroughly African.
Cardinal Malula has been in Rome since mid-February. when Mobutu returned to Zaire from a month-long rest in Switzerland. While in Switzerland, Mobutu met Archbishop Agostino Casaroli of the Vatican's Council for the Church's Public Affairs, and Archbishop Jean Maury of Rheims, who had been apostolic nuncio in Kinshasa.
The Church's representatives apparently achieved little. On February 13, Mobutu launched into a public diatribe against the Cardinal.
What apparently prompted the Vatican to speak at last however muted its tones — on the growing tension, was news from Kinshasa that the politburo of the country's only political party had taken an even more intransigent public stance after several bishops held a three-hour meeting with Mobutu in an effort to ease tensions and pave the way for Cardinal .Malula's return.
According to one report, the politburo spoke of "the indictment and prosecution of Cardinal Malula."