TAIWAN REQUESTS US ASSISTANCE FOR STRANDED

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 002700

SIPDIS

SIPDIS



E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2031
TAGS: PREL TW CH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN REQUESTS US ASSISTANCE FOR STRANDED
DIPLOMATS IN CHAD


CLASSIFIED BY: AIT DIRECTOR STEPHEN M. YOUNG, REASONS: 1.4 (B/D)


1. ACTION REQUEST--SEE PARAGRAPH 9.


2. (C) SUMMARY: DURING A MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR ON AUGUST
9, TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES HUANG REQUESTED US
ASSISTANCE FOR TAIWAN DIPLOMATS AND EXPATRIATES IN CHAD WHO
ARE FACING DIFFICULTIES LEAVING N'DJAMENA AFTER TAIWAN AND
CHAD BROKE OFF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS ON AUGUST 5. HUANG ALSO
SOUGHT US SUPPORT IN MAINTAINING TAIWAN'S REMAINING FORMAL
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, NOW DOWN TO 24 COUNTRIES. HE
CHARACTERIZED THE BREAK WITH CHAD AS A "PROVOCATION" BY
BEIJING THAT UNDERMINES CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES HUANG REQUESTED A
MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR ON AUGUST 9 TO DISCUSS ISSUES
RELATED TO THE BREAK IN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN TAIWAN
AND CHAD ON SATURDAY AUGUST 5. HUANG NOTED THAT IT IS "COMMON
AND UNDERSTANDABLE" THAT CHINA AND TAIWAN COMPETE FOR
RECOGNITION IN THE DIPLOMATIC ARENA, BUT HE CHARACTERIZED THE
TIMING OF CHAD'S SWITCH TO THE PRC ON AUGUST 6 AS A
"PURPOSEFUL" ATTEMPT TO INSULT PREMIER SU TSENG-CHANG AND THE
TAIWAN PEOPLE. HUANG SAID THE MOVE HAD GONE BEYOND "NORMAL
COMPETITION" OVER DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION AND WAS AN "OUTRIGHT
PROVOCATION" TO CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS. (NOTE: TAIWAN BROKE
OFF RELATIONS LATE-SATURDAY EVENING AFTER LEARNING THAT
CHAD'S FOREIGN MINISTER WAS IN BEIJING TO ESTABLISH FORMAL
TIES WITH THE PRC ON SUNDAY AUGUST 6, THE SAME DAY PREMIER SU
PLANNED TO DEPART FROM TAIPEI AS PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIANS
SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE INAUGURATION OF CHAD'S PRESIDENT. END
NOTE.)


4. (C) HUANG ASSERTED THAT PREMIER SU'S ADMINISTRATION HAS
ENDEAVORED TO IMPROVE CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS, CITING EFFORTS
TO FACILITATE CHARTER FLIGHTS AND HOLD THE RECENT CONFERENCE
ON SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS EXAMPLES OF SU'S
"GOODWILL." HUANG CONTRASTED THESE EFFORTS WITH THE PRC'S
INTENT TO HUMILIATE SU AND THE TAIWAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE
CHAD INCIDENT, SAYING THIS SHOWED BEIJING HAS NO INCLINATION
TO IMPROVE OR ADVANCE CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS.


5. (C) HUANG STRESSED IT WOULD BE "CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE" TO
IMPROVE CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS IF CHINA CONTINUES TO MAKE
SUCH "PROVOCATIVE MOVES" AND TO HANDLE CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS
IN AN IRRESPONSIBLE MANNER. CHINA IS FORCING THE TAIWAN
GOVERNMENT "INTO A CORNER," HUANG WARNED. HE EXPRESSED HOPE
THE US WOULD TELL CHINA THAT SUCH ACTIONS ARE NOT
CONSTRUCTIVE AND ARE UNACCEPTABLE.


6. (C) SINCE BREAKING OFF DIPLOMATIC TIES, HUANG SAID, THE
CHAD GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO MAKE ANY CONTACT WITH TAIWAN'S
EMBASSY. AS A RESULT, TAIWAN DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL AND
EXPATRIATES ARE SUFFERING "CERTAIN DIFFICULTIES." HUANG
REQUESTED WASHINGTON'S ASSISTANCE IN HAVING THE US EMBASSY IN
N'DJAMENA ASK THE CHAD GOVERNMENT TO TREAT TAIWAN DIPLOMATS
AND EXPATRIATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES.


7. (C) HUANG SAID THAT CHINA CONTINUES TO SUPPRESS TAIWAN'S
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES. HE REQUESTED WASHINGTON'S
ASSISTANCE, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN MAINTAINING TAIWAN'S
EXISTING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, HIGHLIGHTING PANAMA,
NICARAGUA, HAITI, HONDURAS, AND COSTA RICA AS COUNTRIES OF
SPECIAL CONCERN.


8. (C) THE DIRECTOR REASSURED HUANG THAT AIT WOULD REPORT
TAIWAN'S CONCERNS TO WASHINGTON IMMEDIATELY AND HAS IN FACT
ALREADY REQUESTED THE US AMBASSADOR IN NDJAMENA SEEK THE
EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE TREATMENT OF TAIWAN
DIPLOMATS AND EXPATRIATES WITH THE CHAD GOVERNMENT. THE
DIRECTOR SYMPATHIZED WITH HUANGS FRUSTRATION OVER CHINAS
CONTINUED DIPLOMATIC COMPETITION, BUT REMINDED HUANG THAT
WASHINGTON DOES NOT PLAY A DIRECT ROLE IN MEDIATING BETWEEN
TAIWAN AND CHINA IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR DIPLOMATIC PARTNERS.
THE DIRECTOR SUGGESTED TAIWAN SEEK TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT
CHANNEL WITH CHINA TO DISCUSS TAIWAN'S CONCERNS OVER
INTENSIFYING DIPLOMATIC COMPETITION.


9. (C) ACTION REQUEST: AIT REQUESTS DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE IN
RESPONDING TO TAIWAN'S REQUEST THAT THE US WEIGH IN WITH THE
CHAD GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT FOR TAIWAN
PERSONNEL IN CHAD.

COMMENT:
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10. (C) HUANG IS CLEARLY UNDER PRESSURE TO ENSURE THAT
TAIWAN'S NOW 24 FORMAL DIPLOMATIC ALLIES--DOWN FROM 29 WHEN
PRESIDENT CHEN ENTERED OFFICE IN 2000--DO NOT CONTINUE TO
DEFECT. HUANG'S TRIP TO PANAMA NEXT WEEK AND PRESIDENT CHEN'S
ATTENDANCE AT A FORUM OF TAIWAN'S DIPLOMATIC PARTNERS IN THE
SOUTH PACIFIC NEXT MONTH ARE PART OF CONTINUING EFFORTS BY
TAIWAN TO HOLD THE LINE AGAINST THE PRC.
YOUNG