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

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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