TAIWAN'S NEW COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 002574

SIPDIS

DS/IP/EAP, S/CT, EAP/TC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2030
TAGS: ASEC PTER TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S NEW COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS

Classified By: Harry Raymond Smith, RSO, American Institute
in Taiwan. Reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)
Regional Security Officer (RSO) met with a member of Taiwan's
newly formed Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) to discuss
potential training and program participation on
counter-terrorism initiatives. The structure and function of
the Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) within the Executive Yuan
was discussed, to include budget issues and the breakdown of
the participating Ministries. The CTO queried the RSO on
different avenues of training, policy formulation and support
that might be available in the U.S. End Summary.


2. (C) The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Regional
Security Officer (RSO) met with CHIU, Tai-chin, a member of
Taiwan's newly formed Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) to
discuss potential training and program participation on
counter-terrorism initiatives. The purpose of the meeting
was for the RSO to deliver news concerning AIT,s nomination
of Dr. KUO, Lin-wu, to participate in a proposed FY-2006
International Visitor Program on U.S. Foreign Policy and
Counter-terrorism, set for March of 2006. KUO is expected to
accept officially the program nomination once formal program
preparations are announced. The program focus - to promote
an understanding of U.S. foreign policy on counter-terrorism,
to review efforts to increase security of international goods
and people and to examine efforts to combat terrorism and
terrorist financing - are all topics of critical importance
to Taiwan and the CTO to capitalize on its efforts to
establish and maintain this counter-terrorism initiative.


3. (C) During the meeting, Chiu reviewed the structure and
function of the Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) within the
Executive Yuan (EY),to include budget issues and the
breakdown of the participating Ministries. CHIU stressed that
the budget for the CTO is "very generous" and the CTO is
looking for efforts to gather any and all types of training
on the counter-terrorism front, to include reaching out to
Japan. He also provided a clearer description of the CTO, its
structure and function within the Executive Yuan. CHIU stated
that in June 2004 when the Legislative Yuan passed a bill
calling for reorganization of the Taiwan government, a
counter-terrorism steering committee was formed in November
2004, and chaired by the Premier to discuss Taiwan's
counter-terrorism efforts. The committee recommended the
formation of the CTO in December 2004 and it was officially
started January 10, 2005. CHIU indicated that while the
government reorganization was slated to take place in January
of 2006, it is unlikely to happen. As a result, the Secretary
General of the EY instructed the CTO to broaden their focus
from just counter-terrorism issues and plan for the
integration of crisis management and disaster preparedness.
CHIU opined that when the reorganization does take place, the
EY will create a new ministry entitled Ministry of Interior
and Homeland Affairs. CHIU indicated that the CTO as it
exists in the EY would be a substantial member of this
proposed ministry and take over counter-terrorism, disaster
preparedness and relief, crisis management and organized
crime issues. Currently the Disaster Prevention and Response
Commission, a lower level commission within the fire and
police departments handles crisis management and disaster
preparedness. CHIU indicated that the CTO was preparing
itself to take over these efforts eventually, thus the need
to broaden their focus.


4. (C) CHIU provided the RSO with a detailed breakdown of
the CTO,s structure and some of the issues they have
discussed and intend to address. The CTO is composed of a
head Coordinator, a Deputy Coordinator, nine working level
Coordinators and four research fellows. The current head and
Coordinator of the CTO is Dr. KUO, Lin-wu. KUO was chosen to
head this office based on his current position within the
President's office as a policy advisor for the President.
CHIU indicted that the Coordinator position is rated within
the Taiwan government at "level 14", which he described as a
Vice Minister level. CHIU indicated that while KUO is the
designated Coordinator, he still spends a great deal of his
time as policy advisor to the President. The Deputy
Coordinator of the CTO is currently HUANG, Zhen-feng, who has
reportedly worked with the current and past Secretaries
General of the EY and is primarily tasked with intra-agency
coordination. The working level consists of nine coordinators
all described at "level 11" within the Taiwan government and
all with specific connections to other agencies or
ministries. The nine coordinators are representatives of:
Department of Health, Environmental Protection Agency,
Scientific Advisory Commission, Commerce/Transportation
Ministry, Ministry of Interior (including National Police
Agency),Atomic Energy Commission, National Security Bureau
(includes all intelligence functions),Ministry of Defense
and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The CTO is rounded out
by four research fellows who were described as former
Ministry of Defense personnel, think tank individuals and
members from the DPP office.


5. (C) CHIU said he was convinced that the CTO needs any
and all types of training to help develop the office, its
staff members and prepare for a potential counter-terrorism
issue, crisis management or a natural disaster. CHIU stated
that a recent exercise in April 2005 dealt with
bio-terrorism, cyber-terrorism, a toxic spill, a critical
infrastructure failure and a hostage taking exercise. He
described the exercise as one mired in communication and
coordination problems and suggested some training might be
needed. He submitted a training proposal for members of the
CTO to participate in a course on Comprehensive Security
Responses to Terrorism (CSRT) to be held at the Asia Pacific
Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Hawaii in August 2005.
The course is designed to provide designated states and
countries the operational and strategic-level skills
necessary to enhance their ability to combat terrorism and to
cooperate with other regional nations. The CTO requests
support from AIT. Further, CHIU requested consideration from
AIT for Secretary General Y.Y. Lee of the EY to lead a five
to six person team to the U.S. in August 2005 to visit the
Department of Homeland Security and review its structure,
development and staffing in hopes of preparing the CTO on its
initiative to form a more responsive office to combat
terrorism and respond to a crisis.


6. (C) EY Secretary General Y.Y. Lee told AIT separately
that he has decided to merge the CTO and the Disaster
Prevention and Response Commission into an EY Office of
Homeland Security, reporting to the Premier and headed by CTO
Director Kuo. Lee said that the current EY crisis management
function is geared exclusively towards natural disasters, and
lacks the ability to integrate into the national security
apparatus in response to a major man-made incident. Lee told
AIT that he plans to lead a delegation, together with Kuo, to
Washington in mid-August to learn how the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security integrates organizations like FEMA with
offices that deal with border security and response to
terrorist attacks. Kuo explained to AIT that Lee,s plan
would create a precursor to the planned Ministry of Homeland
Security (MHS),which is scheduled to be stood up in the
2006-2007 time frame (depending on when the EY proposal is
approved by the LY). Kuo said that when the MHS is created,
the proposed Homeland Security Office will become a
bureau-level MHS organization charged with crisis management.



7. (C) Comments: With many new governmental initiatives
there are sometimes unnecessary or redundant requests for
training and support. Taiwan seems to be moving ahead with
this CT initiative in a positive manner. A significant
element of AIT's MPP is centered on providing Taiwan with
anti-terrorism training and supporting their advancement on
the counter-terrorism front. Until recently, those efforts
were hampered by their inability to coordinate or structure
an operational office. It would appear now that this is the
first step in what is hoped to be a true and comprehensive
effort to strategically plan for counter-terrorism concerns,
as well as take on the additional crisis management functions
and disaster preparedness issues. AIT will continue to watch
the efforts of the CTO and work toward common goals on the
counter-terrorism front.
PAAL