FOREIGN MINISTER HUANG ON LATIN AMERICA, AFRICA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 000597 SIPDIS SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2032 TAGS: PREL TW SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER HUANG ON LATIN AMERICA, AFRICA, AND SOLOMON ISLANDS Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young, Reason 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Taiwan Foreign Minister James Huang told the Director on March 15 that Taiwan-Nicaragua ties remain good four months into the presidency of Daniel Ortega. Huang noted that Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Santos will be traveling to Taipei sometime between March 26-28 to conclude a bilateral five-year cooperation agreement that was initiated during President Chen's visit to Managua in January. Huang said Taiwan is quietly working to strengthen its relations with African countries. He will be visiting all of Taiwan's five African diplomatic allies in late April or early May to lay the groundwork for the first Taiwan-Africa summit to be held in Taipei later this year. Huang reported he met recently with Australian Representative Steve Waters to reiterate Taiwan's commitment to supporting the RAMSI mission in the Solomon Islands. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Taiwan Foreign Minister James Huang (Chih-fang) told the Director on March 15 that Taiwan-Nicaragua ties remain good four months into the presidency of Daniel Ortega. Huang noted that Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Santos will be traveling to Taipei sometime between March 26-28 to conclude a bilateral five-year cooperation agreement that was initiated during President Chen's visit Managua in January. Huang said that he signed the MOU with Santos on January 11 and their follow up meeting is to further discuss details of the framework for future cooperation. Huang added that as part of enhancing the Taiwan-Nicaraguan relationship Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) will be sending a medical team to Nicaragua this month to provide medical services to rural residents. Huang suggested that Ortega continues to pursue a moderate political agenda in part because former President Aleman and the Liberal Party retain considerable influence within Nicaragua's legislature. ¶3. (C) Huang told the Director that Taiwan is also quietly focusing on strengthening its relations with African countries. He said he will be visiting all of Taiwan's five diplomatic allies in late April or early May to lay the groundwork for the first Taiwan-Africa summit to be held in Taipei later this year. Huang explained that this is a major part of Taipei's effort to establish a regular exchange mechanism with its African allies paralleling similar initiatives with its South Pacific and Latin American partners. He noted that the event will be hosted in Taipei to provide a "comfortable" environment for the African leaders and their spouses. ¶4. (C) Finally, Huang told the Director that he met recently with Australian Representative Steve Waters, who conveyed appreciation for Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister Catherine Chang's (Hsiao-yueh) recent trip to Canberra and Honiara to discuss Taiwan's activities in the Solomon Islands. Huang said Taiwan reiterated its commitment to support the RAMSI mission and not to provide firearms training to SI police or President Sogavare's bodyguards. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Huang has been a peripatetic Foreign Minister since taking office in January of last year. Much of his energy is focused on shoring up relations with countries that recognize Taiwan and winning new allies in the face of Beijing's continuing concerted drive to constrain Taiwan's international space. We have no doubt Beijing is equally hard at work in the opposite direction. YOUNG