TAIWAN MAY SEEK GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH ICAO

UNCLAS TAIPEI 000716 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/TC STATE PASS USTR FOR STRATFORD AND ALTBACH, TREASURY FOR OASIA/WINSHIP AND PISA, NSC FOR LOI, COMMERCE FOR 4431/ITA/MAC/AP/OPB/TAIWAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAIR PREL PGOV TW CH SUBJECT: TAIWAN MAY SEEK GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH ICAO ¶1. (SBU) Summary. During a series of meetings with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives June 3-4, officials of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) stated that Taiwan wishes to participate, in some manner, in the meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). (Note: Taiwan is not a member of ICAO. End Note.) Although the CAA officials did not press for USG support, Taiwan is apparently interested in participating in ICAO activities, especially in light of rapidly increased cross-Strait flights and interactions. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) CAA Director Lee Long-wen, noting Taiwan's recent participation in the May 15 World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer, told FAA Senior Representative for Asia, Carl Strombom, and FAA Air Traffic Organization International representative for Asia, Daniel Hanlon, that Taiwan would welcome FAA's assistance to support Taiwan's participation in ICAO. ¶3. (SBU) The week of June 8, a delegation from the PRC Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) met with CAA officials on air traffic control issues. This was the first direct contact between the two civil aviation authorities, according to CAA officials. (Note: Previously, CAA and CAAC interacted through the International Air Transport Association. CAA officials also participated as advisors in the talks between Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation and the PRC's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait. End Note.) The increased number of cross-Strait flights (270 round-trip flights per week) has made direct communication on air traffic control critical, said the CAA representatives. CAA officials cited the improvement in cross-Strait communications as an indication that Beijing acknowledges the importance of the Taiwan flight information region (FIR) in regional civil aviation volume, suggesting the PRC may not object to some form of Taiwan participation in ICAO meetings. ¶4. (SBU) The FAA representatives discussed with CAA officials the possibility of Taiwan's participation in a regional ICAO conference. Although the FAA representatives discussed the issue, they stated they were not in a position to commit the FAA to supporting ICAO participation by Taiwan. The CAA officials said they would consider whether it would be appropriate to pursue such an option. They said CAA senior management would have to consult with other officials of the Ma administration on this issue, give the political sensitivity of Taiwan's participation in international organizations. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. Repeated references to Taiwan's observer status at the WHA by CAA officials in the context of possible greater engagement with ICAO were not unexpected. The lack of a strong push by CAA for a USG commitment to support Taiwan on the issue, however, suggests that Ma administration policy has not yet coalesced. We do expect Taiwan to focus on this eventually, and will continue to track the administration's position on ICAO participation. End Comment. ¶6. (U) FAA Senior Representative for Asia, Carl Strombom, cleared this cable. YOUNG