Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI2039
2005-05-05 05:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

SEEKING SUPPORT FOR U.S. APEC RADIOACTIVE SOURCES

Tags:  KNNP KSTC PARM ETTC EAID ETRD ECIN 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

050540Z May 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002039 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/RSC/TC, EAP/EP, AND NP/NE ALEX BURKART

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2015
TAGS: KNNP KSTC PARM ETTC EAID ETRD ECIN
SUBJECT: SEEKING SUPPORT FOR U.S. APEC RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
INITIATIVE: CHINESE TAIPEI RESPONDS

REF: SECSTATE 79844

Classified By: Acting Deputy Director Charles Bennett,
reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002039

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/RSC/TC, EAP/EP, AND NP/NE ALEX BURKART

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2015
TAGS: KNNP KSTC PARM ETTC EAID ETRD ECIN
SUBJECT: SEEKING SUPPORT FOR U.S. APEC RADIOACTIVE SOURCES
INITIATIVE: CHINESE TAIPEI RESPONDS

REF: SECSTATE 79844

Classified By: Acting Deputy Director Charles Bennett,
reason 1.4 (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6.


2. (C) AIT Econoff met May 4, 2005 with Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA),APEC Task Force Chief Lisa Li-hsin Chuang to
deliver reftel demarche requesting that Chinese-Taipei
support the U.S. radioactive sources initiative at the Senior
Officials Meeting in Korea in May. Chuang noted that Taiwan
is not a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) but has cooperated with it in the past on atomic
energy safety issues.


3. (C) Chinese-Taipei has fully supported U.S.
counter-terrorism initiatives in APEC since 2003 and is
pleased that human security will be included in the APEC
agenda in 2005. Chinese-Taipei continues to support the
broadening of APEC's agenda to include topics of regional
economic concern. Taiwan believes it already meets IAEA
guidelines on trade in radioactive substances and the
requirements of the IAEA Code of Conduct on Safety and
Security of Radioactive Substances. However, given Taiwan's
lack of IAEA membership, it will be difficult for Taiwan to
officially announce that it intends to implement either the
IAEA Code of Conduct or the Guidance on Import and Export of
Radioactive Substances, said Chuang.


4. (C) Chuang noted that given the concern from the People's
Republic of China (PRC) and some other APEC members about
Chinese-Taipei's participation in security related
discussions, Chinese-Taipei leaders were reluctant to
publicly announce support for the U.S. Initiative. She
emphasized that Chinese-Taipei's reticence was not based in a
lack of support for the initiative, but rather was evidence
of Chinese-Taipei's awareness of the views of other APEC
members. Chuang said Chinese-Taipei would join in consensus
support for the initiative, but would only publicly announce
support for the initiative if the U.S. believed it was
prudent to do so.


5. (C) Responsibility for atomic energy issues rests with
Taiwan's Atomic Energy Council (AEC). Chuang confirmed that
MOFA had not raised the issue of whether Chinese-Taipei could
support the U.S. initiative with the AEC nor had the Ministry
of Economic Affairs, Energy Commission been approached about
this issue. If an announcement of support for the initiative
was forthcoming, Chinese-Taipei's Senior Official, John Chen,
would first need to consult with relevant agencies in Taiwan.


6. (C) Action Request: Please confirm that the U.S. would
prefer that Chinese-Taipei NOT/NOT publicly announce support
for the U.S. initiative on radioactive substances at the May
SOM in Korea.
PAAL