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Cablegate: Media Reaction: Bush Re-Election

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS TAIPEI 003505

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: BUSH RE-ELECTION

"Taiwan May Be Priority Issue for Bush's New Foreign
Agenda"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language
"China Post" said in an editorial (11/5):

"U.S. President George W. Bush, who won a second term
in the Tuesday poll after defeating his Democratic
challenger Senator John Kerry with 274 Electoral
College votes and a projected margin of 3.5 million
national popular ballots, is very likely to set Taiwan
as one of his major diplomatic priorities during the
next four years of his new administration.

"The reason is simple and clear: Bush does not want
Taiwan, an issue which has already troubled him and his
administration during much of his first term, to
continue to stand in the way of his effort to
strengthen Washington's Beijing relations. .

"A new U.S. administration would no longer just
passively express a position of not supporting Taiwan
independence. It could distinctly tell Chen that
Washington disagrees with his claim that Taiwan is a
sovereign country. And that it is opposed to any moves
by Taipei to pursue de jure independence.

"Meanwhile, any new U.S. initiative in easing tension
in the Taiwan Strait can be expected to include in
increased effort to bring Taipei and Beijing to the
negotiating table. A resumption of contacts and
dialogue has been believed by Washington to be the best
way to settle differences between the two sides. ."

PAAL

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