TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTRY MULLING NEXT STEPS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 000528

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS/OSTA BLUM, HAMILTON; FAS/OCRA
RADLER, BEILLARD; FAS/OFSO WAINIO, AND APHIS/IS AND VS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2019
TAGS: EAGR ECON ELAB EPA ILO IMO IO KJUS PGOV PREL
TW, CH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTRY MULLING NEXT STEPS ON
INTERNATIONAL SPACE

REF: TAIPEI 510

Classified By: Director Stephen M. Young for Reasons 1.4(B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
is consulting with other agencies to prioritize Taiwan's
international space needs and develop recommendations on next
steps now that Taiwan has been invited to observe at this
year's World Health Assembly. MOFA International
Organizations (IO) Department Deputy Director General Lily
Hsu told Taiwan Coordination Desk Deputy Director Deena
Parker in an April 30 meeting that Taiwan is most likely to
push next for a bigger role in the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO),the International Maritime
Organization (IMO),or the International Criminal Police
Organization (Interpol). Although Taiwan would like to
participate in the UN Framework for Climate Convention
(UNFCCC),this is not possible under the old rubric, where
Taiwan NGO Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is
labeled a "Chinese" organization. Hsu also asked for U.S.
help in warding off further PRC encroachment on Taiwan's
interests and status in the World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE). End summary.

International Space "Next Step" Unclear
--------------


2. (C) MOFA International Organizations Department DDG Lily
Hsu expressed appreciation for the U.S. public statement of
support for Taiwan's participation in the World Health
Assembly (WHA) this May. She noted that such support was
essential to continuing Taiwan's efforts to expand its
meaningful participation in various international
organizations crucial to the interests of Taiwan's people.
Although Taiwan has succeeded in its goal of obtaining
observer status in the May 18-27 WHA meeting (reftel),it has
no clear "next step" on international space at this time, Hsu
told EAP/TC Deputy Director Deena Parker. To avoid a
scattershot approach and focus Taiwan's diplomatic energies,
MOFA is in the process of interagency consultations to
determine and prioritize Taiwan's international space needs.
The idea, Hsu said, is to develop a list of international
organizations in which expanded participation would bring
tangible benefits to the people of Taiwan. When this process
is finished, MOFA will submit its recommendations to the
Executive Yuan. At this point, said Hsu, Taiwan's most
pressing needs are in the areas of aviation, maritime issues,
law enforcement cooperation, and environmental topics. Based
on that, Hsu said, ICAO, IMO, and Interpol are seen as the
most promising candidates for the "next steps" after WHA.


3. (C) Taiwan's ministries and agencies are not waiting for
MOFA's approval, however, to solicit U.S. support for Taiwan
participation in international organizations relating to
their particular purviews. For example, in a May 1 meeting
with Parker to discuss Taiwan's anti-trafficking in persons
(TIP) efforts, National Immigration Agency (NIA) Director
General Hsieh Li-kung asked for U.S. support and advice on
how Taiwan could participate in the International
Organization of Migration (IOM).


4. (C) MOFA is not naive enough to believe that gaining WHA
observership this year means everything is open to Taiwan
now, Hsu said. They had heard from other sources that
Beijing considers Taiwan's WHA participation to be an
exception. Beijing does not want a spillover effect to other
international organizations, Hsu concluded.

Previous Framework for UNFCCC Participation Unacceptable
-------------- --------------


5. (C) MOFA's review of how Taiwan engages in international
organizations has revealed some problems, Hsu said. For
example, for more than ten years Taiwan has tried to
participate in the UN Framework for Climate Change Convention
(UNFCCC). The problem is that the Taiwan-based NGO
Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) participates
in the Framework, but has been designated a "Chinese"
organization. Despite support from the United States and
others, the PRC has blocked Taiwan's efforts to have ITRI
participate in the UNFCCC as a Taiwan NGO.


Holding Off the PRC at OIE
--------------


6. (C) Taiwan has been a longstanding and productive member
of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for many
decades, said Hsu. Since the PRC joined, despite OIE's best
efforts to avoid controversy and support Taiwan's continued
meaningful participation, there have been disagreements over
Taiwan's member status and nomenclature. Most recently,
Beijing blocked OIE efforts to dodge the question of
sovereignty by referring to all participants as "members"
(rather than "member states"). Likewise, Beijing is pushing
for the establishment of a Credentialing Committee to review
members' qualifications, which Taiwan is concerned would
result in MOFA officials being blocked from participating in
OIE sessions. These are clearly PRC efforts, said Hsu, to
exert influence over Taiwan's participation and to further
degrade its status.


8. (C) While Taiwan is willing to discuss reasonable
measures, implementation is a key concern. For example,
would MOFA-issued credentials still be accepted? Would
Taiwan's participation in OIE's administrative elections
continue? Taiwan may need to coordinate with the U.S.
delegation in advance of the meeting, said Hsu, and may
approach Washington on these and other issues ahead of the
OIE's May meeting.

Comment
--------------


9. (C) The good news on WHA observership makes the question
of "What next?" relevant and timely. President Ma and MOFA
understand that one key to Taiwan's success with WHA was the
clear value - in terms of improved public health on Taiwan
and globally - that greater participation should bring.
MOFA's initial list of priorities for "next steps" suggests
that this same calculation will apply as Taiwan moves
forward. MOFA clearly does not expect the floodgates to now
open, and believes that expanding Taiwan's international
space will involve painstaking, organization-by-organization
negotiation. On a very practical level, it is clear that
MOFA is already overtaxed at the current tempo of operations.
Hsu commented that not many officers want to stay for long
in the IO Department because of the heavy workload. It may
take some time before a clear consensus on what Taiwan's next
target(s) will be on international space. Meanwhile, we
expect to continue to be approached by Taiwan agencies
looking to push their cause to the front of the queue.
YOUNG