Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04TAIPEI3899
2004-12-08 10:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

TIEN HUNG-MAO: PARTING SHOTS

Tags:  PGOV PREL TW 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 003899 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL TW
SUBJECT: TIEN HUNG-MAO: PARTING SHOTS


Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason: 1.4 (B/D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TAIPEI 003899

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL TW
SUBJECT: TIEN HUNG-MAO: PARTING SHOTS


Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason: 1.4 (B/D)


1. (C) Summary: Upon his return to Taipei from London, former
Representative to the UK Tien Hung-mao defended himself and
his staff on the passport case of the fugitive Andrew Wang's
wife. He foresaw difficult times ahead for Taiwan in Europe
as China expands its trade with EU nations and successfully
lobbies for the lifting of the arms sales embargo. Tien
criticized the Taiwan foreign ministry for its recent
mishandling of Vanuatu. Commenting on Chen Shui-bian's
recent rhetoric on using Taiwan instead of the "ROC" for the
next United Nations General Assembly bid and representative
offices worldwide, Tien said he can only assume Chen did so
to counter the political inroads of former president Lee
Teng-hui and his pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union.
Now no longer a public official, Tien said he will probably
be spending as much time in the US as he does in Taiwan. End
Summary.

Passport Scandal Blemishes UK Tour
--------------


2. (C) Tien Hung-mao, former Taiwan Representative to the UK
and before that Foreign Minister, defended himself and his
staff on the passport case that led to his resignation --
fugitive Andrew Wang's wife, Yeh Hsiu-chen. Tien told AIT
that he resigned in anger because he felt Taiwan Premier Yu
Shyi-kun "blew the case out of proportion" and mistreated him
and his staff. Tien explained that the Representative Office
in London has no authority to approve or deny passports, and
that Yeh's passport application was actually approved by the
foreign ministry in Taipei. Tien also claimed that, by
notarizing documents for Yeh, his office merely confirmed the
identity of the person who presented the documents. He said
that his office had alerted Taipei to the existence of the
documents as soon as the consular officer notarized the
documents. Tien pointed out that it was beyond his control
that Yeh was able to use the notarized documents to conduct
questionable real estate transactions in Taipei.


3. (C) Tien told AIT that, other than the passport scandal,
he is quite proud of his UK tour. He said that perhaps
because of his academic reputation he was warmly received by
British officials. Tien commented that he was meeting

officials at the US-equivalent Assistant Secretary level, and
that even in formal settings, members of Parliament referred
to him as "ambassador" and "your excellency."

Bad Moon Rising in EU for Taiwan
--------------


4. (C) Despite the warmth and friendliness Tien said he found
on a personal level, he said that his successor Edgar Lin
(former Taiwan ambassador to Gambia) will face difficult
challenges as the PRC continues to expand its trade relations
with the UK and other European nations and seeks to lift the
EU embargo on arms sales to China. Tien said that he
appreciated the effort the US exerted to maintain the ban,
and said the US and UK position was crucial in the November
17 European Parliament decision to uphold the embargo.
However, Tien asserted that although the European Parliament
is currently reviewing its arms sales code of conduct, he
foresees the EU lifting the embargo in early 2005. Tien said
that the EU will use the review as an excuse to say that it
closed all the loopholes for potential abuse.


5. (C) Tien warned that the US might not receive as much
support from the UK as it previously did on this and other
issues. Tien said that, because of his support for the US
position on Iraq, Tony Blair had frequently stood alone,
against political opponents, against public opinion, and even
against his own party. Tien said that in the new year
Britain "will be looking to repair its relations with the
French and Germans," and might not so readily support US
positions.

Vanuatu: Here you come again
--------------


6. (C) Regarding the recent flap over Vanuatu, Tien told AIT
that the entire affair has been mishandled by Deputy Minister
Michael Kau. He said that during his own tenure as foreign
minister (2000-2002),he had also secured a signed promise
from then-Foreign Minister Serge Vohor to switch diplomatic
recognition from PRC to Taiwan. Tien said that he had not
been sure Vohor could deliver on his promise and insisted
that Taiwan wait until the agreement was adopted and
confirmed by the Vanuatu cabinet before announcing it
publicly. Tien recalled that at the time he was under
enormous pressure by senior level foreign ministry officials
in Taipei to go public on the agreement in order to "force
the reality" on the Vanuatu cabinet. Tien said that he had
to exert all of his influence in order to overrule his
foreign ministry advisers. Tien said as soon as he heard
news about Vanuatu and Vohor, he thought to himself, "here we
go again."

Baffled by Lee Teng-hui
--------------


7. (C) Commenting on Chen Shui-bian's recent rhetoric on
using Taiwan instead of the "ROC" for the next United Nations
General Assembly bid and representative offices worldwide,
Tien said that he guessed Chen did so to counter the
political inroads of Tien's mentor Lee Teng-hui and his
pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU). Tien said
that he has not seen Lee lately and he could not begin to
guess what is on Lee's mind. Tien said he could not
determine whether or not Lee was satisfied with Chen
Shui-bian's performance, whether Lee thought Chen was moving
too slowly with "normalizing" Taiwan's international status,
whether Lee thought Chen was moving Taiwan in the right
direction or if Lee believed Chen has compromised too much.
Tien also worried about what Lee might say or do if Lee were
not satisfied with Chen's performance.


8. (C) Tien said he wondered what might have happened to Lee
after he left the presidency that caused him to change so
radically. Tien explained that Lee was fully aware of the
constraints on Taiwan in the international arena and moved
extremely cautiously when dealing with the PRC. Tien said
when Lee appointed him to the National Unification Council
Lee told him that he opposed Taiwan independence. In fact,
Tien asserted, during his tenure as president, Lee stated
over 200 times that he opposed Taiwan independence. Tien
asked rhetorically, whether it was possible for a person to
have concealed his true beliefs so well.

Comment: Frustrated Professionals
--------------


9. (C) Tien's views are not atypical of the group of Lee
Teng-hui holdovers who have fallen out with the Chen
administration over the past two years. These figures have
often expressed frustration to AIT over the direction Taiwan
is heading. Tien and his peers have said they are
increasingly exasperated by the DPP's amateur,
election-obsessed approach to policy making, puzzled over Lee
Teng-hui's transformation into a pro-independence
fundamentalist, and disenchanted by the Pan-Blue leadership's
willful refusal to face up to Taiwan's current political
realities. While this group played a critical role in
Taiwan's democratization in the 1990s and later during the
transition to DPP rule, most are now detaching themselves
from the political discourse.

Biographical note
--------------


10. (C) Tien Hung-mao returned to Taipei from London in late
November 2004. Now without a government position, he resumed
his position as chairman of the Institute for National Policy
Research. During this November 30 meeting, Tien repeatedly
said that he had been in Taipei for only a few days, had not
really contacted anyone yet, and not thought about what he
might do next. Tien might be surveying his options in
Taiwan, but with an eye to returning to the US as soon as a
"respectable" period of time has passed.
PAAL