VICE MINISTER ASKS U.S. SUPPORT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 001105 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/TC AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2019 TAGS: PREL EAIR SENV UNGA TW CH SUBJECT: VICE MINISTER ASKS U.S. SUPPORT FOR NON-CONFRONTATIONAL UNGA APPROACH REF: A. TAIPEI 1065 ¶B. RANK-MANN 9/10/09 E-MAIL Classified By: Deputy Director Robert Wang for reasons 1.4(b/d) ¶1. (C) Vice Foreign Minister David Lin called in DDIR September 10 to detail Taiwan's strategy for expanding its meaningful participation in international organizations, programs and conventions and, in particular, its plans for the upcoming UNGA session. Taiwan had already decided to adopt a "more pragmatic" approach, Lin said, that was less likely to create cross-Strait friction (see ref A for additional background). It was no accident that Taiwan had missed the August 15 deadline to put forward a UNGA agenda item to the General Council, he emphasized. Instead, a group of Taiwan's diplomatic allies would soon ask the UN Secretariat simply to circulate a letter to UN member states, urging them to support Taiwan's efforts. The letter, which Lin hoped would be sent by September 15, would specifically note the importance of Taiwan participation in meetings and activities of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ¶2. (C) Taiwan's approach was designed to minimize friction with the PRC, Lin said. While Taiwan hoped its allies and possibly other UN member states would speak out in favor of the proposal during the UNGA general debate, he said, the approach avoided the need for any formal discussion. Lin agreed to share a draft of the letter, which he said would be signed by 10-12 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, as soon as a final text is ready. Lin provided a non-paper (ref B) from which, he said, the substance of the letter would be taken. ¶3. (C) Lin expressed appreciation for the statement posted on the USUN website during last year's UNGA session and urged the United States to respond similarly this year. Taiwan was making the same request of Japan, the EU and other international partners, he said. Lin acknowledged that achieving Taiwan's goal of expanding its participation in ICAO and UNFCCC might take time. Lin stressed that making concrete progress on expanding Taiwan's ability to participate in ICAO and UNFCCC would be a long-term process. In that regard, he thanked the United States for the key role it played in gaining WHA observer status for Taiwan and asked for similar help with ICAO and UNFCCC. STANTON