FM OU ON BILATERAL RELATIONS, TRA ANNIVERSARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000197

SIPDIS

GENEVA FOR HOHMAN
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AIT/W - BARBARA SCHRAGE
DEPARTMENT FOR OBO - TOM SWARTZ
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/EX - MARY MARTINEZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV AMGT ABLD CVIS CH TW
SUBJECT: FM OU ON BILATERAL RELATIONS, TRA ANNIVERSARY
PLANS, TRANSITS, WHA

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


1. (C) Summary. Foreign Minister Ou assured the Director on
February 18 that the Foreign Ministry will keep AIT fully
abreast of its planning for events related to the 30th
anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and said no
events are being planned on or around April 3, the
anniversary of the TRA signing (and the expected date of the
upcoming POTUS-Hu Jintao meeting in London). He asked for
U.S. and other international support for establishing a
technical channel between Taiwan and PRC representatives in
Geneva to discuss WHA observership. Ou also noted President
Ma Ying-jeou's desire for FTA and extradition agreements with
the U.S. and his hope for U.S. visa waiver status.
Cross-Strait relations are on the right track, Ou suggested,
and planning is underway for the next round of SEF-ARATS
talks, possibly in late-April. Finally, Ou informed the
Director recent press reports that TECRO would close some of
its thirteen U.S. offices were inaccurate. End Summary.

TRA Anniversary: Low Profile Commemoration in U.S.
-------------- --------------


2. (C) In a February 18 meeting at the Foreign Ministry, FM
Francisco Ou told the Director he believed mutual trust
between the U.S. and Taiwan has been restored, vowing that he
would continue to work with the U.S. in a transparent manner
consistent with Taiwan's "no surprises" policy. Saying he
understood U.S. concerns that Taiwan's prticipation in
events related to the 30th anniversary of the TRA remain low
profile, Ou explained that no events are being scheduled on
or around April 3, when a POTUS-Hu Jintao meeting may take
place. Ou also said that no high-level Taiwan officials
would be participating in TRA anniversary events in
Washington. However, the Heritage Foundation has invited
Mainland Affairs Council Chair Lai Shin-yuan to participate
in a late April event. According to Ou, Lai has not yet
accepted or declined.

U.S. Relations Focus on FTA, VWP, and Extradition
-------------- --------------


3. (C) The discussion next turned to the three objectives
President Ma Ying-jeou recently laid out for Taiwan's
relations with the United States: a Free Trade Agreement
(FTA); participation in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP);
and an extradition agreement. North American Affairs
Division Director General Harry Tseng, who accompanied Ou,
acknowledged the difficulty of achieving an FTA, but hoped
for progress on Taiwan's participation in the Visa Waiver
Program and on an extradition agreement. On visa waiver, the
Director noted the need for Taiwan to address a number of
technical issues before it would even be eligible for
consideration. While the security features of Taiwan's new
electronic passports were very good, problems with the
issuance process, specifically for minors, undermined
passport security. Ou responded that MOFA was working to
address these concerns in a way that would not require
legislation. Tseng offered that it might be possible to
change current passport regulations to require an initial
appearance by all applicants, including minors. FM Ou said
MOFA would keep AIT informed of any developments.


4. (C) The Foreign Minister said President Ma has made no
decisions on whether to attend either of the presidential
inaugurations in Panama (June) or El Salvador (July). It is
likely Ma will attend only one of the inaugurations and add a
side trip to another ally in the region, a standard practice
on visits to Latin America, Ou noted.


5. (C) The Director raised the AIT New Office Compound (NOC)
project. Ou agreed to press for the timely issuance of
construction permits and the elimination of any unnecessary
delays. He also said he would support AIT's efforts to
acquire a property adjacent to the NOC site. Ou told the
Director that media reports that Taiwan was considering

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closing some of its 13 TECRO offices in the United States
were inaccurate.

PRC Relations on Track, Taiwan Seeks Help on WHA Observership
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Cross-Strait relations are on the right track, Ou told
the Director, and the possibility of signing a Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with the mainland is
growing. Many Southeast Asian countries have indicated their
desire to see an agreement signed between Taiwan and the
mainland before they engage in trade talks with Taiwan. Ou
also noted that planning is moving forward for the third
round of Cross-Strait talks, possibly to take place in late
April.


7. (C) Although Taiwan can sense good will from high-level
PRC officials toward Taiwan's desire to more fully
participate in international organizations like the World
Health Organization (WHO),the time is quickly running out
for holding technical discussions on how Taiwan could achieve
observership at the WHA meeting in May. Any real solution,
said Ou, would require not only high-level good will, but
also a channel to discuss technical details. Establishing
such a channel will require support from the international
community, especially the U.S., Ou maintained, adding that
the most appropriate channel for technical discussions would
be between the Taiwan and PRC representatives in Geneva.
Taiwan would appreciate any assistance the U.S. could provide
in helping to establish such a channel, Ou said.

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


8. (C) FM Ou is the first foreign minister in memory here not
to be an American expert. He is certainly conversant on
U.S.-Taiwan issues, but it is clear to us that Vice Minister
Andrew Hsia and the North American Division under Harry Tseng
are taking the lead on these issues.
WANG