TAIWAN MOFA RESPONSE TO UN DEBATE DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 002139 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2017 TAGS: AALC PREL UNGA AORG CH TW SUBJECT: TAIWAN MOFA RESPONSE TO UN DEBATE DEMARCHE REF: SECSTATE 131494 Classified By: AIT Deputy Director Robert S. Wang. Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D) ¶1. (C) Summary. AIT conveyed reftel demarche on UN Taiwan debate to MOFA on Sept 19 (AIT Director's separate presentation to Vice Premier Chiou I-jen reported septel). MOFA told AIT that Taiwan is hoping the General Committee (GC) Chairman will be able to arrange an open GC debate on the Taiwan membership proposal in exchange for an agreement for no debate in the UNGA plenary. Arguing that UN membership is a hot political issue in Taiwan, MOFA said a two-plus-two debate would be unacceptable since the Taiwan people would not see this closed door debate as adequate. MOFA implied that if Taiwan membership fails to obtain an open debate in the GC, its allies might push for a floor debate in UNGA and also might push Taiwan's cross-Strait "peace and stability" proposal. End Summary. ¶2. (C) AIT conveyed reftel talking points to MOFA North American Affairs Director-General Leo Lee, AIT's usual point of contact on bilateral policy issues. Lee, who oddly enough was not accompanied by anyone from the International Organizations (IO) Bureau despite the subject of the meeting, thanked AIT for the information. While he "expects" Taiwan's allies to table the "peace and stability" resolution in the GC, Lee said, he explained that he was really not informed on the UN issue and urged AIT to talk with IO for more detailed response and information. Lee then took the opportunity to advise AIT that it is the people of Taiwan who demand UN membership for Taiwan. This "growing trend" is the "will of the people," he argued, urging the U.S. to understand and support this democratic development. ¶3. (C) AIT subsequently contacted IO Acting Director-General Lily Hsu to convey reftel talking points and inquire about Taiwan plans for both the GC and UNGA. Hsu, whose boss, IO Director-General David Lin, is in New York organizing Taiwan UN-related activity, told AIT that the GC Chairman as of late Monday (New York time) was still trying to negotiate a mechanism for handling the Taiwan membership issue. The Chairman had proposed a GC open debate, rather than a two-plus-two debate, in exchange for an agreement for no debate in the UNGA plenary. There has been no mention, Hsu said, of a vote in the GC. ¶4. (C) Hsu told AIT that the UN issue was a hot political issue in Taiwan, one which MOFA had to "handle very carefully." A two-plus-two debate, she said, would contravene the "expectation of the Taiwan people and, thus, be difficult to explain to them. "We don't want to be a trouble maker," Hsu continued, but to convince the Taiwan people, "we must do something that will make Taiwan's voice heard." The two-plus-two, she stressed, would not suffice, since it takes place out of hearing and behind closed doors. The people, she explained, would not take the government's word that a viable debate had occurred. TECRO (U.S.),she continued, does not want to "rock the boat," but it must demonstrate a genuine debate in the UN on the highly political UN membership issue. ¶5. (C) Hsu suggested that Taiwan would be more likely to seek to raise the membership issue in UNGA if the GC debate is limited to a two-plus-two debate. She also told AIT that Taiwan's "peace and stability" proposal is "still on the shelf" pending the outcome of the GC membership discussion. (Note: Separately, Vice Premier Chiou told DIR today that Taiwan might settle for a "five-plus-five" debate, although he did not elaborate on whether this would be "open" or "closed." Hsu's implication seemed to be that if the GC debate proves unsatisfactory, Taiwan might try to push the peace and stability proposal via its three allies on the GC. End Note.) Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Hsu's "not want to be a trouble maker" statement is not the first time MOFA officials have indicated a sense of TAIPEI 00002139 002 OF 002 frustration over enforcing policies that create diplomatic problems for Taiwan. When AIT told MOFA officials in May that President Chen's application for membership in WHO could set back, rather than advance, Taiwan's cooperation, our MOFA interlocutor responded, "We have no choice, the orders come from the top." A similar expression of resignation followed our warnings against President Chen's June letter of application to UNSYG Moon for Taiwan membership. This "from the top" pressure is the domestic political reality under which Taiwan diplomats live and operate. Hsu's comments on TECRO not "rock(ing) the boat, moreover, appear to be in response to DAS Christensen's admonishment to TECRO Washington to work only through AIT and TECRO and not USUN and other missions. YOUNG