TAIWAN FOREIGN VICE MINISTER ON SOLOMON ISLANDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000326

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2032
TAGS: PREL TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN FOREIGN VICE MINISTER ON SOLOMON ISLANDS


Classified By: AIT Deputy Director Robert S. Wang,
Reason 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C REL AUS) Summary: Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister Chang
Siao-yue met with the Deputy Director on February 8 to
discuss her recent trip to Australia and the Solomon Islands.
She characterized Australian concerns about Taiwan's law
enforcement training program with the SI as a
"misunderstanding," and insisted Taiwan has no intention of
undermining or replacing Australian-led RAMSI forces. Chang
said that she had told the Australian government that Taipei
also has no plans to provide weapons training or weapons to
the SI police. Stressing that Taiwan's initiative has been
"above board" and transparent, Chang urged that Taipei,
Canberra, and Honiara should improve communication to avoid
making a "costly" diplomatic mistake that could lead to the
collapse of RAMSI and give the PRC an opportunity to fill the
vacuum left by Australia. End Summary.


2. (C REL AUS) Taiwan Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs
Chang Siao-yue met with the Deputy Director on February 8 to
discuss her recent trip to Australia and the Solomon Islands
(SI). Chang said she had a "good," frank discussion in
Brisbane with DFAT North Asia Director-General Peter Baxter
about Taiwan's law enforcement training program with the SI.
She said she emphasized that concerns about Taiwan's
assistance to the SI arise from "misunderstanding" and
"miscommunication." Chang stressed to the Deputy Director
that Taiwan has no intention of replacing or undermining the
Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon
Islands (RAMSI) and will not provide weapons to SI police
forces. Although maintaining formal diplomatic ties with the
SI is very important to Taiwan, she added, Taipei will honor
its pledge not to provide weapons or weapons training to SI
police even if, she stressed, Honiara threatened to switch
relations to the PRC.


3. (C REL AUS) Chang told the Deputy Director that she
conveyed a similar message to Prime Minister Sogavare in
Honiara. Sogavare, she said, was visibly disappointed,
initially threatening to break relations with Taiwan. Chang
explained to Sogavare that Taipei does its best to promote
economic development, humanitarian assistance, and other aid
to the SI, but Taiwan seeks to do so transparently and faces
limitations imposed by the international community on what it
can do. Chang reassured Sogavare that Taiwan would continue
law enforcement training for SI police officers, pointing out
that the canceled weapons training segment comprised only a
small portion of the longer three week program.


4. (C REL AUS) Chang told the Deputy Director that despite
Sogavare's initial disappointment and threats, she came away
believing that Sogavare eventually "understood" Taiwan's
position and that Taiwan will be able to maintain its
relations with the SI for the time being. Chen emphasized
that Taiwan's law enforcement training with the SI has been
"above board" and transparent, and was part of a regional law
enforcement training program with Taiwan's other South
Pacific allies that was announced at the Pacific Allies Forum
last year. This training, she explained, was focused on
combating narcotics and human trafficking in the region.
Chang added that Taiwan hopes to learn more about Australia's
own training programs in the South Pacific in order to
complement those efforts to bring greater stability to the
region.


5. (C REL AUS) Assessing the overall situation in the SI,
Chang suggested to the Deputy Director that the underlying
problem is a lack of communication and trust between Honiara
and Canberra. Chang said her discussions with Sogavare made
clear that deep divisions have inhibited dialogue and
undermined RAMSI's efforts to maintain peace in the SI.
Sogavare believes, whether justified or not, that Australia
is out to topple his government and to "get rid" of him,

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though she acknowledge that DG Baxter had strongly denied
this. Addressing Sogavare's concerns about his personal
safety, no matter how farfetched they may seem to outsiders,
Chang stressed, will be important to repairing strained
relations between the two capitals.


6. (C REL AUS) Although trust between the SI and Australia
is unlikely to be restored in the near future, Chang said
renewed dialogue between the two sides is a first, necessary
step. Chang emphasized this point in her meetings with both
Australian officials and Sogavare, urging the two governments
to engage in positive talks that address Sogavare's concerns
about RAMSI. Chang added that Taiwan for its part also needs
to work on improving communication with Australia. She
criticized the Taiwan Ambassador in Honaira for failing to
develop constructive working relations with his Australian
counterpart there. The Taiwan Ambassador, she explained, was
very bitter that RAMSI police had failed to protect Taiwan's
medical mission and technicians in Honaira during riots last
year. Nevertheless, Chang said she had instructed the
Ambassador to reach out to the Australian High Commissioner
to discuss Taiwan's ongoing humanitarian and law enforcement
training programs, and she acknowledged that DG Baxter had
pledged that RAMSI would work to ensure security in the SI,
including for Taiwan.


7. (C REL AUS) Chang told the Deputy Director that Taiwan
had been surprised by the strong Australian objection to its
law enforcement training initiative with the SI. Chang said
that as "friends" she hopes similar concerns in the future
can be raised at a working level before being aired publicly.
Taiwan disagrees with Australia's characterization of its
work in the region as "checkbook diplomacy," Chang said,
pointing out that Taiwan assistance programs and activities
in the SI have been both developmentally positive and
diplomatically open and transparent. Taipei, Canberra, and
Honiara need to work in a cooperative manner in the future to
avoid making "costly" diplomatic mistakes. Elaborating,
Chang suggested that if friction between Australia and the SI
leads to a collapse of RAMSI, Taiwan does not have the
inclination or ability to step in, leaving the PRC the
opportunity to do so. If Sogavare's frustrations with
Canberra are not addressed, moreover, he could easily turn to
Fiji, PNG, or even the PRC to seek the weapons training and
equipment that Taiwan is not providing.
YOUNG