Cablegate: Media Reaction: Burma, Rebiya Kadeer and the United States

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1171/01 2710910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280910Z SEP 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2393
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9402
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0826

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001171

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - THOMAS HAMM
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: BURMA, REBIYA KADEER AND THE UNITED STATES

1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage September 26-28 on the Ma Ying-jeou administration's
decision to not allow World Uyghur Congress President Rebiya Kadeer
to enter Taiwan; on the Yunlin County's legislative by-election, and
on the referendum on opening casinos in Penghu. In terms of
editorials and commentaries, on the issue of Burma, a column in the
KMT-leaning "China Times" made positive comments about United States
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent announcement that the
United States will engage with Burma in a bid to promote democratic
reform. The column said that only by having exchanges with Burma
can the United States change the country. Regarding Taiwan's
decision to not allow Rebiya Kadeer to visit Taiwan, an editorial in
the KMT-leaning, China-focused "Want Daily" claimed that the United
States is no longer taking advantage of organizations which support
East Turkistan independence to contain China because the United
States needs China's support. The editorial called DPP politicians
and the pro-independence "Liberty Times" "stupid" for promoting the
idea of inviting Rebiya Kadeer to visit Taiwan. The editorial
described her as being "just like a [sheet of] toilet paper thrown
away by the United States after it was used." End summary.

2. Burma

"The United States Eventually Straightening Out its Thinking and
Changing its Policy toward Burma"

Liang Tung-ping, a "China Times" correspondent in Southeast Asia,
wrote in his column in the KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation:
120,000] (9/26):

"After attending the United Nations General Assembly and meeting
with diplomats from many countries, United States Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton announced that the United States will seek to have
direct engagement with the Burmese junta in a bid to promote
democratic reform there. The announcement signals a significant
change in the United States' policy towards Burma. Certainly, it
remains to be seen whether there will be concrete results. ...

"If the United States really wants to engage Burma, a "rogue state,"
it must recognize the nature of [Burma's] rogue character, and try
to make changes [in Burma] by not influencing [Burma's] fundamental
interests. ...

"Now, the ball is in the junta's court. [We have to] see how the
junta is going to receive it and hit the ball back [to the United
States]."

3. Rebiya Kadeer and the United States

"Who Is Putting on Their Face Used Toilet Paper Thrown Away by the
United States?"

The KMT-leaning, China-focused "Want Daily" [circulation: 10,000]
editorialized (9/28):

"The Ma Ying-jeou administration decided not to allow [World Uyghur
Congress President] Rebiya Kadeer to visit Taiwan. Some DPP
politicians and media from the Green-camp constantly made an uproar
and used a lot of specious arguments to criticize the Executive
Yuan's decision. Moreover, [the DPP politicians and media from the
Green-camp]'s usage of the relationship between Rebiya Kadeer and
the United States as the case for [inviting her to Taiwan] has
totally revealed their ignorance about international politics. In a
more vulgar expression, these politicians [such as Rebiya Kadeer]
who are abandoned after they have been taken advantage of are just
like [sheets of] toilet paper thrown away by the United States. The
Green camp is as stupid as it can be by holding [the toilet paper]
in both hands and putting them on its face. ...

"The attitude of being the adopted son of the United States held by
some politicians in the Green camp and the "Liberty Times" was laid
bare. On the one hand, they criticized mainland China for treating
Taiwan as if it is Taiwan's suzerain. On the other hand, they
regarded the cold-shouldered United States enthusiastically as the
suzerain [of Taiwan]. Arguments such as ... 'Rebiya Kadeer is a
U.S. green card holder and has international refugee status; and
[she] was invited to testify before the U.S. Congress many times,'
are used to prove that inviting Rebiya Kadeer [represents] the
sublime values of freedom and democracy.

"Does it mean that a U.S. green card holder cannot be a terrorist?
The DPP should try to understand whether or not Rebiya Kadeer's
activities and [contacts] in the United States are under the
surveillance of the [United States'] Central Intelligence Agency or
the Department of Homeland Security. Don't these [DPP] people have
any idea how the United States takes advantage of resistance
organizations in countries to serve the interests of the United
States? So many times, the United States has taken advantage of
organizations [supporting the independence of] East Turkistan and

the Tibetan independence [movement] to contain mainland China. ...
Now, the United States has its own needs on counterterrorism and
wants to seek help from mainland China. The nature of the United
States' relationship with the Xinjiang independence and Tibetan
independence movements has changed. This is just like [how the
United States] treated the Taliban regime in Afghanistan before.
During the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet
Union, the United States gave money, personnel, and ammunition to
the Taliban. Once the former Soviet Union collapsed, the two sides
[the United States and the Taliban] became enemies. Now, Al-Qaeda
and the Taliban have become big problems for the United States
counter-terrorism efforts instead. ..."

STANTON

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