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P 220516Z MAR 06
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 000951 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC XR TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S NEW DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 
 
REF: A. TAIPEI 0191 
     ¶B. TAIPEI 0225 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Stephen Young, Reason 1.4 (b/d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Taiwan has been quietly pursuing a diplomatic 
strategy that focuses on expanding bilateral ties in the 
Middle East and North Africa.  In the last year, Taiwan made 
progress with Libya, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia and is working 
to expand ties with Israel.  Taipei has also shown a 
willingness to exercise more control in publicizing its 
foreign policy initiatives in order to avoid PRC preemptive 
moves or subsequent retaliation.  New Foreign Minister James 
Huang, with close ties to President Chen Shui-bian, has been 
the primary driver of this strategy and has called for Taiwan 
to expand its outreach to the Middle East.  The challenge 
will be whether President Chen can continue pursuing discreet 
diplomacy and resist the impulse to publicize his foreign 
policy gains for domestic political gain.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (C) This is the first of two cables analyzing Taiwan's 
foreign policy in the Middle East.  The first cable examines 
the diplomatic success Taiwan has achieved over the last year 
and Taipei's willingness to pursue discreet ties to avoid PRC 
pressure.  The second cable will discuss the PRC's growing 
influence in the Middle East and the challenges Taipei faces 
in its efforts to counter Beijing.  The cable will also 
report analyses of Taiwan's foreign policy by Middle Eastern 
diplomats resident in Taipei. 
 
Libya: A Chen Visit? 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Taiwan's most recent diplomatic overture involved 
Libya and the visit of Muammar Qadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam, 
to Taipei in January 2006 (ref A).  Immediately afterwards, 
Taiwan Presidential Office officials announced that President 
Chen had been invited to visit Libya and that both 
governments will open representative offices and cooperate in 
the fields of oil exploration, technology, trade, and 
military affairs.  Libyan Foreign Ministry officials, 
however, denied that an invitation had been extended and 
there are still unresolved questions over Saif al-Islam's 
authority to act on behalf of Tripoli (ref B).  Despite these 
uncertainties, Taiwan officials considered the visit a 
success, which involved weeks of secret negotiations -- Saif 
al-Islam's visit was not revealed to the press until after he 
extended an invitation to Chen to visit Tripoli. 
 
UAE: Transit Surprise 
--------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Earlier, President Chen scored a surprise diplomatic 
victory in September 2005 with his visit to the UAE on the 
way back from a trip to Central America.  The visit was 
ironed out in secret by former Presidential Office 
Deputy-Secretary General, now Foreign Minister James Huang. 
Huang told AIT that he made secret trips to Abu Dhabi in 
August and September to make final arrangements.  Several 
joint economic initiatives were signed including possible 
military cooperation.  The UAE agreed to buy a 20 percent 
stake in Taiwan's China Petroleum Company (CPC) while China 
Airlines signed a deal to organize a new civilian airline for 
the UAE.  UAE officials plan to invest in Taiwan's science 
and technology sectors and were drawn to Taiwan by Taipei's 
technical expertise.  According to Huang, the UAE had been 
dissatisfied with PRC business practices, including Beijing's 
eagerness to do business with Iran. 
 
Saudi Arabia: High-Level Visits 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Taiwan also achieved diplomatic success with 
high-level visits and cooperation with Saudi Arabia.  Former 
Foreign Minister Mark Chen traveled to Saudi Arabia in 2005 
at least two and possibly three times, including for the 
funeral of King Fahd, which was attended by many world 
leaders.  Taiwan has maintained close ties with Saudi Arabia 
and is particularly discreet regarding its relationship with 
Riyadh.  Israeli Representative in Taipei Ruth Kahanoff and 
Turkish Representative Burak Gursel both told AIT that Taiwan 
enjoys excellent ties with Saudi Arabia and noted that Taiwan 
maintains two trade offices there (Riyadh and Jeddah).  They 
also pointed out that Riyadh is Taiwan's largest supplier of 
oil and has many investments on the island. 
 
Israel: Expanding Ties 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Taiwan is also seeking closer ties with Israel. 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Middle Eastern Affairs 
Section Chief Sami Leu told AIT that Taiwan enjoys a good 
relationship with Tel Aviv.  He noted that Taipei carefully 
maintains a low profile to ensure Israeli ties are not 
jeopardized.  Israel's Kahanoff told AIT that, despite 
Israel's one China policy, Tel Aviv permits high-level 
political visits by Taiwan officials and in 2004, Israel 
abstained in the vote on Taiwan's bid for observership status 
in the World Health Assembly (WHA).  She reported that Taiwan 
has stepped up efforts to improve ties in 2005 and told AIT 
that Taipei understands it must maintain a low profile with 
Tel Aviv.  Both Kahanoff and MOFA's Leu told AIT that many 
Taiwan officials admire Israel's strong defense model and are 
pursuing improved political and security ties. 
 
James Huang's Quiet Diplomacy 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) The primary factor behind Taiwan's recent diplomatic 
success has been Taipei's willingness to pursue expanded 
bilateral ties discreetly.  Foreign Minister James Huang has 
been a key player in Taipei's focus on the Middle East and is 
the main driver behind Taiwan's discreet foreign policy 
strategy.  Before being named Foreign Minister in January 
2006, he was the Presidential Office Deputy 
Secretary-General.  Huang is known for his confidentiality 
 
SIPDIS 
and his practice of handling foreign policy in secret to 
avoid drawing the ire of Beijing.  After his promotion to 
Foreign Minister, Huang announced that MOFA will increasingly 
focus on the Middle East and North Africa because there are 
many opportunities for Taiwan to expand its "international 
space" and influence in these regions. 
 
Comment: But Can Chen Remain Quiet? 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) While transit visits and economic cooperation may seem 
minor, Taiwan considers such events to be vital, particularly 
as Taiwan's international influence is reduced and the PRC 
expands its economic and political power.  Taiwan has shown 
that discretion can bring results -- the UAE visit succeeded 
only because it was kept secret.  In the past, Taiwan's 
foreign policy overtures were sabotaged by the Chen 
administration's penchant for publicizing foreign policy 
initiatives for short-term domestic political gain.  The 
biggest challenge to Taiwan efforts for a more private 
diplomacy is: can Chen remain quiet and resist the temptation 
to publicize his foreign policy successes?  It does not 
appear so.  On March 14, an "unnamed Presidential Office 
source" leaked details of Chen's plans for a "secret" visit 
to Libya in May to the Apple Daily, which could derail any 
hopes for a Libya visit. 
YOUNG