Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI837
2009-07-10 06:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-RUSSIA RELATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0837 1910646 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 100646Z JUL 09 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1932 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9285 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0718
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000837
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.-RUSSIA RELATIONS
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage July 10 on the Department of Health's test results of the
frying oil of major fast food chains in Taipei County; on
developments in cross-Strait relations; and on the legal cases
involving former President Chen Shui-bian and his family. The
pro-independence "Liberty Times" devoted half of its page two to
discussing the tenth anniversary of the "special state-to-state"
doctrine proposed by former President Lee Teng-hui in 1999 regarding
Taiwan's relations with China and the evolution of cross-Strait
relations since then. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed U.S.
President Barack Obama's recent visit to Russia. The article said
the chances are slim that Russia will be treated as an equal of the
United States. End summary.
"How Can Russia Expect to Be Treated as an Equal of the United
States?"
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning
"China Times" [circulation: 120,000] wrote (7/10):
"... On the surface, [U.S. President] Barack Obama appeared to be
very polite and engage Russia on an equal and reciprocal footing
during his visit to Moscow; he also said he wants to improve
relations with Russia. But Obama did not make any concession at all
during his talks [with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev]. ... The
United States and Russia want to improve their bilateral relations,
but how? For two countries to have close relations, they must have
close economic relations. Yet for many years, the [annual] trade
[volume] between the United States and Russia has merely maintained
at a level of ten to twenty billion U.S. dollars, an amount which is
not even up to one tenth of the [annual] trade volume between China
and the United States. [Also,] to improve bilateral relations [the
two countries] must remove any imbalance in their geopolitical
interests. But given the distance between the two nations and their
respective [international] status, the chances are slim for the
United States and Russia to stand on an equal footing.
"Washington's deepest and only concern about Moscow is the latter's
missiles with nuclear warheads. The United States is proposing that
nuclear weapons be abolished around the globe. Once such a goal is
realized [and if Russia keeps its weapons,] Russia will be harshly
criticized."
WANG
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.-RUSSIA RELATIONS
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage July 10 on the Department of Health's test results of the
frying oil of major fast food chains in Taipei County; on
developments in cross-Strait relations; and on the legal cases
involving former President Chen Shui-bian and his family. The
pro-independence "Liberty Times" devoted half of its page two to
discussing the tenth anniversary of the "special state-to-state"
doctrine proposed by former President Lee Teng-hui in 1999 regarding
Taiwan's relations with China and the evolution of cross-Strait
relations since then. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed U.S.
President Barack Obama's recent visit to Russia. The article said
the chances are slim that Russia will be treated as an equal of the
United States. End summary.
"How Can Russia Expect to Be Treated as an Equal of the United
States?"
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning
"China Times" [circulation: 120,000] wrote (7/10):
"... On the surface, [U.S. President] Barack Obama appeared to be
very polite and engage Russia on an equal and reciprocal footing
during his visit to Moscow; he also said he wants to improve
relations with Russia. But Obama did not make any concession at all
during his talks [with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev]. ... The
United States and Russia want to improve their bilateral relations,
but how? For two countries to have close relations, they must have
close economic relations. Yet for many years, the [annual] trade
[volume] between the United States and Russia has merely maintained
at a level of ten to twenty billion U.S. dollars, an amount which is
not even up to one tenth of the [annual] trade volume between China
and the United States. [Also,] to improve bilateral relations [the
two countries] must remove any imbalance in their geopolitical
interests. But given the distance between the two nations and their
respective [international] status, the chances are slim for the
United States and Russia to stand on an equal footing.
"Washington's deepest and only concern about Moscow is the latter's
missiles with nuclear warheads. The United States is proposing that
nuclear weapons be abolished around the globe. Once such a goal is
realized [and if Russia keeps its weapons,] Russia will be harshly
criticized."
WANG