Cablegate: Protest to Ait Regarding Taiwan Un Bid Referendum

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PP RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHIN #2033/01 2490946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060946Z SEP 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6662
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7214
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8875
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 9043
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 2066
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0512
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 8468
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 1327
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 6035

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 002033

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL OPRC KMDR KPAO CH TW

SUBJECT: PROTEST TO AIT REGARDING TAIWAN UN BID REFERENDUM

REF: TAIPEI 02031

1. During the small group demonstration outside AIT on Sept 4
(reftel), ADIR invited several Legislative Yuan and Taipei Council
members (list provided below) to present their views inside AIT.
Apart from reading their letters (translated below), several added
their own views during the meeting. The thrust of their remarks is
that the U.S. should recognize that most Taiwan people support the
UN referendum, i.e., not only President Chen or a minority. They
also emphasized that they could not understand why the U.S., as a
democracy, would oppose a referendum that would only be an
expression of the public's sentiments (with no real policy
consequence). In response, ADIR expressed strong support for
Taiwan's democracy but indicated that we were concerned about the
destabilizing elements of the UN referendum that would affect not
only U.S. but Taiwan's interests. ADIR promised to convey their
petition and messages to Washington.

2. The following are full text translations of the two letters of
protest:

A) UNTA Letter

To: Director Stephen Young

From: United Nations-Taiwan-Alliance (UNTA)

September 4, 2007

Subject: Letter of Protest from UNTA

1. On behalf of the 23 million people of Taiwan, the United Nations
Taiwan Alliance (UNTA) hereby expresses its regret and indignation
to your country [for your opposition to Taiwan's UN referendum
plan]. The people of Taiwan want UN membership and to decide their
own future through referenda. This is a basic principle for all
democratic countries. The United States should not have given in to
unreasonable requests from China by denying the people's basic right
to hold referendums.

2. Taiwan's sovereignty is independent and derived from the people
of Taiwan, not from China or the United States. Taiwan is an
independent and sovereign country, and the people of Taiwan have the
right to decide whether to support Taiwan's bid for UN membership.

3. According to various opinion polls, more than 70 percent of the
people of Taiwan support Taiwan's application to join the UN under
the name of Taiwan. The Legislative Yuan also unanimously passed a
resolution in May demanding that the government apply for Taiwan's
access to WHO under the name of Taiwan. We call on the United
States to pay attention to Taiwan's wish to become a UN member.

4. On August 27, Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte
criticized Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on its UN bid in an
interview with the Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV. It was not a
surprise for pro-China media to arrange for such an interview. What
we don't understand is how the Untied States, as a world leader of
democratic countries, could have ignored China's deployment of
nearly 1,000 missiles targeting Taiwan and intention to change the
cross-strait status quo with non-peaceful means. Instead, the
United States put the blame on Taiwan for its UN referendum plan,
which is the most democratic and peaceful means for the people of
Taiwan to defend the status quo of Taiwan as an independent and
sovereign country.

We hope that Director Young would convey this message to President
George W. Bush that Taiwan is not only a defender of peace and
democracy but has also been a good friend of the United States for
many years. We learn with deep regret of the United States'
interference with Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on its UN bid.
We would also like Director Young to tell the U.S. Government that
the people of Taiwan will not change their determination to enter
the UN because of this setback. We will continue to strive for our
goal and hope that the United States will understand and support our
endeavors.

TAIPEI 00002033 002 OF 002

B) Letter of Protest to the American Institute in Taiwan

We have been relying on ourselves. We have earned democracy by
risking our lives. We refuse to be a board game piece [bargain
chip] for U.S.-China negotiations! Today we want to tell you that
if you are afraid of China then don't be the big brother. Taiwan
wants to be its own master!

Your country treats Taiwan like a canary you raised yourself. A
sturdy bird cage was built to keep it in captivity. When [they]
feel like it, [they] feed you some food to keep you alive. But
[you] can neither grow up nor grow fat. Meanwhile, China is glaring
at its prey from the side, greedily watching the canary.

On August 27, your Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said in
an exclusive interview with the Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television,
a "Chinese media outlet" with a military background, that your
country views President Chen's promotion of a referendum on applying
for UN membership under the name of Taiwan as a step towards
Taiwan's declaration of independence. He also emphasized that your
country is Taiwan's best friend, strongly supports Taiwan's
democracy and economy, and is committed to the defense of Taiwan
through the Taiwan Relations Act. If your country is Taiwan's best
friend, then why does your country totally disregard a friend's
will? Why do you suppress Taiwan's democracy like this? If Taiwan
is not an independent state, why does your country have a defense
commitment to Taiwan? Negroponte's remarks were contradictory and
deviate from the Taiwan people's will. What is more unthinkable is
that your country should have used "China's media" to blast Taiwan.
These kinds of moves, which do not differentiate between friends and
enemies, are inconceivable. We express deep regret and strong
protest.

On August 30, White House National Security Council [Senior]
Director for East Asian Affairs Dennis Wilder said neither "Taiwan"
nor "the Republic of China" is now a state. Since we are not
anything, then please respect the people of Taiwan. Let us decide
what we are. We want to tell you loudly: Taiwan is an independent
sovereign state! The people of Taiwan want to bravely cross the red
line, open the bird cage, and fly to the UN, to the whole world.

September 4, 2007

Presenters: Legislators Kao Chien-chih, Huang Shih-chuo, and Tsai
Chi-fang; Taipei City councilors Liu Yao-jen, Huang Hsiang-chun, and
Chuang Jui-hsiung.

--End of Letter of Protest--

WANG

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