Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TAIPEI2835
2006-08-17 06:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
TAIPEI MAYOR MA YING-JEOU: PRESIDENT CHEN WON'T
how-toVZCZCXRO2609 OO RUEHCN RUEHGH DE RUEHIN #2835 2290629 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 170629Z AUG 06 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1674 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5546 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8021 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7942 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1368 RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 9498 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6760 RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0318 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 5334 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002835
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: TAIPEI MAYOR MA YING-JEOU: PRESIDENT CHEN WON'T
GIVE IN TO PUBLIC PRESSURE
Classified By: Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 002835
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: TAIPEI MAYOR MA YING-JEOU: PRESIDENT CHEN WON'T
GIVE IN TO PUBLIC PRESSURE
Classified By: Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) Summary: President Chen will not step down under
pressure from former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-te, Kuomintang
(KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou predicted to AIT on August 16.
Ma hypothesized that if Chen were to resign now, the
President would lose his immunity and risk immediate
prosecution for corruption-related offenses. Ma also
predicted that People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong
would decide whether to declare himself a candidate for
Taipei mayor by the end of August. The KMT would prefer only
one Pan-Blue candidate in the race but has been unable to
convince Soong to stand aside. End Summary.
2. (C) Taipei Mayor and KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou told the
Director and newly arrived DDIR on August 16 that although
former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-te will almost certainly reach
his goal of attracting one million supporters to his campaign
to oust President Chen Shui-bian, Chen will not step down.
Chen has his reasons for wanting to stay in office, Ma
explained. Recent financial scandals within the Presidential
Office threaten to implicate Chen personally. Chen enjoys
presidential immunity from prosecution until he leaves office
in 2008. If Chen steps down before then, Ma said, he runs
the risk of hastening the onset of legal action against him.
3. (C) Responding to questions about the Taipei mayoral race,
Ma predicted that PFP Chairman James Soong would decide
whether to declare his candidacy by the end of this month.
Ma told the Director that he personally had not tried to
dissuade Soong from running, but others from his staff had
approached the PFP leadership to discuss that possibility.
Ma added wistfully that the KMT would prefer to have only one
Pan-Blue candidate in the Taipei mayoral race (KMT primary
winner Hau Long-bin),but Soong appeared intent on running.
Ma ducked our question of how Soong's entry into the contest
would affect Hau Long-bin's chances of winning, saying only
that it would depend on how hard Soong campaigns.
YOUNG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: TAIPEI MAYOR MA YING-JEOU: PRESIDENT CHEN WON'T
GIVE IN TO PUBLIC PRESSURE
Classified By: Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) Summary: President Chen will not step down under
pressure from former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-te, Kuomintang
(KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou predicted to AIT on August 16.
Ma hypothesized that if Chen were to resign now, the
President would lose his immunity and risk immediate
prosecution for corruption-related offenses. Ma also
predicted that People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong
would decide whether to declare himself a candidate for
Taipei mayor by the end of August. The KMT would prefer only
one Pan-Blue candidate in the race but has been unable to
convince Soong to stand aside. End Summary.
2. (C) Taipei Mayor and KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou told the
Director and newly arrived DDIR on August 16 that although
former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-te will almost certainly reach
his goal of attracting one million supporters to his campaign
to oust President Chen Shui-bian, Chen will not step down.
Chen has his reasons for wanting to stay in office, Ma
explained. Recent financial scandals within the Presidential
Office threaten to implicate Chen personally. Chen enjoys
presidential immunity from prosecution until he leaves office
in 2008. If Chen steps down before then, Ma said, he runs
the risk of hastening the onset of legal action against him.
3. (C) Responding to questions about the Taipei mayoral race,
Ma predicted that PFP Chairman James Soong would decide
whether to declare his candidacy by the end of this month.
Ma told the Director that he personally had not tried to
dissuade Soong from running, but others from his staff had
approached the PFP leadership to discuss that possibility.
Ma added wistfully that the KMT would prefer to have only one
Pan-Blue candidate in the Taipei mayoral race (KMT primary
winner Hau Long-bin),but Soong appeared intent on running.
Ma ducked our question of how Soong's entry into the contest
would affect Hau Long-bin's chances of winning, saying only
that it would depend on how hard Soong campaigns.
YOUNG