Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TAIPEI3456
2006-10-05 10:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
DPP SHIFTS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM INTO LOW GEAR FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO3642 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #3456/01 2781036 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 051036Z OCT 06 ZDK PER YU SVC #0053 2781116 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2499 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5745 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 4335 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8146 RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 6635 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 8094 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1567 RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0423 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 5401 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1433 RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 9602 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6960 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003456
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: DPP SHIFTS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM INTO LOW GEAR FOR
NOW
REF: TAIPEI 03394
TAIPEI 00003456 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: AIT Acting Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b/d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003456
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: DPP SHIFTS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM INTO LOW GEAR FOR
NOW
REF: TAIPEI 03394
TAIPEI 00003456 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: AIT Acting Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b/d)
1. (C) Summary: After reviewing and debating various
constitutional revision proposals, some of which dealt with
sensitive sovereignty issues, the ruling DPP's Central
Executive Committee (CEC) on October 4 decided to continue
discussion of constitutional revision during its next meeting
in early November. While the November meeting will focus on
the choice between presidential and parliamentary forms of
government, the DPP also plans to continue internal
discussions on competing drafts of the first six
"sovereignty" articles of the Constitution. A leading DPP
legislator told AIT he does not expect the party's
legislative caucus to support sovereignty changes. End
Summary.
2. (C) At a meeting on October 4, the ruling Democratic
Progressive Party's CEC reviewed various constitutional
revision proposals but was unable to reach agreement on a
draft. After intense debate produced no resolution between
competing drafts, some of which touched on sensitive
sovereignty issues (reftel),the CEC agreed to revisit
constitutional reform at its next meeting early next month.
Lo Cheng-fang, deputy director of the constitutional revision
team, told AIT that the proposal to slow down the party's
constitutional revision effort was introduced by Presidential
Office Secretary General Mark Chen, who was supported by
Premier Su Tseng-chang and Taipei mayoral candidate Frank
Hsieh. According to DPP International Affairs Director
Winston Dang, the CEC members understood that since the party
was now in power, it must act more responsibly toward the
Taiwan people and the international community, especially the
U.S., than it had in the past when, as an opposition party,
it inserted pro-independence positions into DPP documents.
3. (C) Dang said the November CEC meeting will focus "only"
on deliberations between the two original constitutional
revision drafts, one presidential and one parliamentary,
which do not propose changes to the first six sovereignty
articles. Lo said, however, that the party will first decide
on which government system to endorse before moving on to
tackle competing versions of the sovereignty articles. He
added that it would be "natural" for the sovereignty issue to
continue to be debated within the party. According to Lo,
there are now four draft versions of the constitution's
sovereignty articles, ranging from one that keeps the wording
of the current constitution intact to a version that changes
the national title to "Republic of Taiwan" and redefines the
national territory as the islands controlled by Taiwan.
4. (C) In a separate meeting on October 5, DPP Policy
Committee Director and legislator Eugene Chao said he did not
expect the party, especially the party's legislators, to
support changes to the constitution's sovereignty articles.
Chao noted that the debate on sovereignty had been sparked by
an independence movement "elder" and reflected the views of
only a small number of people, not the younger and more
pragmatic party members. DPP legislators, who will have to
compete for swing voters in the 2007 elections, do not want
to be identified with radical independence causes that could
cost them their seats, Chao stressed.
Comment
--------------
5. (C) Yesterday's decision by the DPP to set aside
sovereignty issues and focus on government structure in its
initiative to produce a constitutional reform proposal is a
positive development. The decision reflected, in part, DPP
concerns about strong U.S. reactions as a result of the
immediate and firm public statements issued by the State
Department in response to President Chen's September 24
TAIPEI 00003456 002 OF 002
speech. It is not clear at this point, however, whether the
decision to set aside sovereignty issues is temporary or will
turn out to be more long-term. Clearly, the DPP's
constitutional revision effort is a topic that will continue
to merit the closest monitoring.
WANG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2031
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: DPP SHIFTS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM INTO LOW GEAR FOR
NOW
REF: TAIPEI 03394
TAIPEI 00003456 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: AIT Acting Director Robert S. Wang,
Reasons: 1.4 (b/d)
1. (C) Summary: After reviewing and debating various
constitutional revision proposals, some of which dealt with
sensitive sovereignty issues, the ruling DPP's Central
Executive Committee (CEC) on October 4 decided to continue
discussion of constitutional revision during its next meeting
in early November. While the November meeting will focus on
the choice between presidential and parliamentary forms of
government, the DPP also plans to continue internal
discussions on competing drafts of the first six
"sovereignty" articles of the Constitution. A leading DPP
legislator told AIT he does not expect the party's
legislative caucus to support sovereignty changes. End
Summary.
2. (C) At a meeting on October 4, the ruling Democratic
Progressive Party's CEC reviewed various constitutional
revision proposals but was unable to reach agreement on a
draft. After intense debate produced no resolution between
competing drafts, some of which touched on sensitive
sovereignty issues (reftel),the CEC agreed to revisit
constitutional reform at its next meeting early next month.
Lo Cheng-fang, deputy director of the constitutional revision
team, told AIT that the proposal to slow down the party's
constitutional revision effort was introduced by Presidential
Office Secretary General Mark Chen, who was supported by
Premier Su Tseng-chang and Taipei mayoral candidate Frank
Hsieh. According to DPP International Affairs Director
Winston Dang, the CEC members understood that since the party
was now in power, it must act more responsibly toward the
Taiwan people and the international community, especially the
U.S., than it had in the past when, as an opposition party,
it inserted pro-independence positions into DPP documents.
3. (C) Dang said the November CEC meeting will focus "only"
on deliberations between the two original constitutional
revision drafts, one presidential and one parliamentary,
which do not propose changes to the first six sovereignty
articles. Lo said, however, that the party will first decide
on which government system to endorse before moving on to
tackle competing versions of the sovereignty articles. He
added that it would be "natural" for the sovereignty issue to
continue to be debated within the party. According to Lo,
there are now four draft versions of the constitution's
sovereignty articles, ranging from one that keeps the wording
of the current constitution intact to a version that changes
the national title to "Republic of Taiwan" and redefines the
national territory as the islands controlled by Taiwan.
4. (C) In a separate meeting on October 5, DPP Policy
Committee Director and legislator Eugene Chao said he did not
expect the party, especially the party's legislators, to
support changes to the constitution's sovereignty articles.
Chao noted that the debate on sovereignty had been sparked by
an independence movement "elder" and reflected the views of
only a small number of people, not the younger and more
pragmatic party members. DPP legislators, who will have to
compete for swing voters in the 2007 elections, do not want
to be identified with radical independence causes that could
cost them their seats, Chao stressed.
Comment
--------------
5. (C) Yesterday's decision by the DPP to set aside
sovereignty issues and focus on government structure in its
initiative to produce a constitutional reform proposal is a
positive development. The decision reflected, in part, DPP
concerns about strong U.S. reactions as a result of the
immediate and firm public statements issued by the State
Department in response to President Chen's September 24
TAIPEI 00003456 002 OF 002
speech. It is not clear at this point, however, whether the
decision to set aside sovereignty issues is temporary or will
turn out to be more long-term. Clearly, the DPP's
constitutional revision effort is a topic that will continue
to merit the closest monitoring.
WANG