MEDIA REACTION: U.S. BEEF, IRAN

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000792

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. BEEF, IRAN


1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused June 30
news coverage on the Executive Yuan's approval Monday of the merger
of Tainan City and Tainan County into one special municipality; on
Taiwan-born New York Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-ming's first victory
of the season Sunday; on the legal cases involving former President
Chen Shui-bian and his family; and on the entrance examination for
Taiwan's senior high schools.


2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an op-ed piece in the
pro-independence "Liberty Times" discussed the safety of U.S. beef.
The article said that even though the American people have concerns
about mad cow disease in U.S. beef, it has never occurred to
Taiwan's Department of Health to warn the Taiwan people not to let
their children consume beef from the affected areas. With regard to
Iran, an op-ed in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed
the people's revolution in Iran and said the United States' "hands
off" attitude toward the revolution does more good than bad in
general. End summary.


3. U.S. Beef

"Is It Safe for Small Children to Eat U.S. Beef?"

Liu Pei-po, former director-general of the Animal Health Research
Institute, opined in the pro-independence "Liberty Times"
[circulation: 700,000] (6/30):

"... Previous documents showed that in areas infected with mad cow
disease, there were quite a few cases where children consumed beef
and contracted this disease, but the symptoms did not show until
they were grown-ups. A question for [Department of Health (DOH)]
Minister Yeh Ching-chuan: How high are the chances for children in
Taiwan who eat U.S. beef to contract mad cow disease? Have you done
any scientific simulation analysis [on this]?

"It is fine to draw an analogy for the gourmets that the risk of
contracting mad cow disease through eating U.S. beef is equivalent
to being hit by lightning twice [in a row]. But this is not
scientific data, and logically, there is analogical error [in such a
statement]. Judging from a professional prospective, people should
not buy or eat any food that triggers safety concerns. In areas
which are free from mad cow disease, any discussion concerning the
chances of contracting this disease would involve political,
economic or trade intervention! As a matter of fact, DOH is clearly
aware that the United States is an area where mad cow disease is
known to occur, and still it wants to open [Taiwan's market] and
allow the Taiwan people to consume [U.S. beef]. It is akin to
telling a person to stand in an open field and use his cell phones
on a day when lightning is striking. Do you think that person will
be hit by lightning? Is there no doubt at all that people will
contract the mad cow disease? ...

"The head of the DOH probably does not know that in Texas,
cafeterias in many elementary schools do not provide food containing
any beef, and that the elementary schools will be sued if they
randomly allow their students to eat beef! Even the American people
have concerns about mad cow disease when it comes to [eating] U.S.
beef. It is a pity that it has never occurred to DOH to call on the
Taiwan people not to allow their children to consume beef coming
from the diseased areas."


4. Iran

"Iran's New People's Revolution"

Taiwan's former Ambassador to South Africa Loh I-cheng wrote in his
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation:
130,000] (6/29):

"... Normally, the United States is Iran's biggest enemy and it
should immediately reach out to help the intellectuals in Iran who
stood afore and challenged the authority of their government.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, dealt with this situation in a
low-profile manner. This is because Washington is clearly aware
that it has to keep itself away from such a revolution initiated on
the [Iranian] people's own initiative, so that the Iranian
government will not accuse Washington of being the invisible hand
behind the revolution. Even though a few people in the Republican
camp made high-flown remarks, in general, the United States'
'hands-off' attitude' does more good than bad. ..."

YOUNG