This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS TAIPEI 003644
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/RSP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD -
ROBERT PALLADINO
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS
"President Chen's [Practice of] Informing the United
States Before He Makes Announcements on Cross-Strait
Policy Has Become Standard Practice"
The conservative, pro-unification "United Daily News"
editorialized (11/16):
". Evidently, the consistent context as well as the
central theme manifested in President Chen's `inaugural
speech,' `National Day address,' and his `announcement
at the National Security Council' are: the United
States wants President Chen to publicly announce that
he will accept using the `1992 consensus' to deal with
the `one China' issue. This [request] is different
from [Chen's announcement of] the `five No's' policy.
The `five No's' policy is simply a request asking
President Chen to pledge what he will not do, but now
the [United States] wants Chen to say affirmatively
that he accepts the '1992 consensus' and 'one China
[policy].' .
"Within just one month, the United States has twice
asked President Chen to make a formal announcement in
public; Washington's concerns over the cross-Strait
situation are thus perceived. Likewise, Chen's
predicament is also made evident by the fact that he
had to make a public announcement twice within one
month at the request of the United States, and his
second announcement was even a supplement to and
revision of his first one. .
"[National Security Council Secretary-General] Chiou I-
jen said the United States will talk with Beijing from
its perspective over Chen's overture at the National
Security Council. What Chiou was saying was that
[Taipei] has done what the United States requested and
it is now up to Washington as to how it will promote
Chen's `goodwill gesture' to Beijing.
"For President Chen, it is easy for Washington to put
words into his mouth and ask him to say in public
whatever the United States wants him to say.
Nonetheless, whether Chen's remarks will have any
positive effect does not really rely on the United
States; rather, it depends on President Chen . ."
PAAL