TAIWAN MOFA CRITICISES PRC POSITION AT WHA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002165

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2030
TAGS: CH PREL TW ESTH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN MOFA CRITICISES PRC POSITION AT WHA

Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal. Reasons 1.5 (b,d)


1. (C) Victor Chin, Director General of North American
Affairs Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
forwarded to AIT late on May 12 a press release in Chinese
that, he said, had been issued earlier in the day.


2. (C) The press release responds to the PRC diplomatic note
that has been circulated and apparently made public in
Geneva. Much of the press release recites familiar and often
valid complaints by the Taiwan side concerning PRC refusal to
allow Taiwan observer status at the WHA, the treatment of the
delegation at the recent WHO meeting in Bangkok on public
health issues in the wake of the December 26 Tsunami, and the
WHO refusal to accredit Taiwan reporters.


3. (C) The last portion of the press release addresses the
specifics of the package that has been worked out to enable
Taiwan to participate in the International Health
Regulations. It states that Taiwan cannot accept the use of
the term "Taiwan, China" in the MOU that the PRC plans to
sign with the WHO Secretariat. It also insists that it is
unreasonable for the WHO to notify the PRC representative
office in Geneva before engaging in cooperation with Taiwan
under the IHR. The press release concludes by stating that
Taiwan has already communicated officially to the WHO that it
would be impossible for Taiwan to accept any arrangement that
diminishes Taiwan's status.


4. (C) AIT Deputy Director (DDIR) discussed this release with
Chin by phone later Thursday evening. DDIR pointed out that
both the MOU and the agreement to notify the PRC, without
seeking consent, were integral parts of the four-part package
that had been worked out after considerable effort by U.S.
negotiators and in full consultation with Taiwan
counterparts. He also noted that the MOU language would not
be a public document, and that it would be hardly surprising
if a UN organization and a UN member used UN terminology to
refer to Taiwan, however much Taiwan might disagree with that
terminology. Chin said that he believed that everyone in MOFA
understood the points DDIR had made, but they felt a
requirement to demonstrate to their domestic political
audience that they were fighting for Taiwan's dignity. Chin
did concede however that Minister Mark Chen has been very
categorical in recent MOFA meetings in insisting that the IHR
agreement must incorporate language fully respectful of
Taiwan. DDIR urged Chin to convey to the Minister our
concerns and said that AIT would be prepared to meet with
MOFA and with the Minister to discuss this further if it
would be useful.


5. (C) Chin promised to convey our point of view and to
extend our offer to the Minister. He said that he had some
hope that the Minister might be trying to express a hard line
for domestic political consumption, knowing that it would be
necessary to be more flexible in moving forward on the IHR
agreement.


6. (C) Comment. While Victor Chin has been a valuable and
reliable interlocutor and we share his hopes, we would also
note that Minister Chen has frequently shown a willingness in
recent months to appeal to Taiwan domestic political
audiences and Taiwan pride even when that strains external
relations and international initiatives to the breaking point.
PAAL