VZCZCXRO0013
RR RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #1054/01 2261812
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141812Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4222
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1227
RUEHJL/AMEMBASSY BANJUL 0031
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0012
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1159
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0911
RUEHLG/AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 0023
RUEHMB/AMEMBASSY MBABANE 0014
RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU 0444
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 1319
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0024

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NDJAMENA 001054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
LIBREVILLE FOR SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CD TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN DIPLOMATS BID ADIEU TO CHAD 
 
 
NDJAMENA 00001054  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: The timing of Chad's resumption of 
diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China was 
exquisitely timed to create the most humiliating situation 
possible for Taiwan, according to the outgoing Taiwan 
Ambassador.  He speculated that Chad's decision was based on 
a desire to have relations with a powerful UN Security 
Council member (and one with close ties to Sudan).  However, 
he also believed that China had been and would continue to 
support Chadian rebels.  Aside from efforts by local 
authorities to take possession of Taiwanese assets in an 
agricultural development project in Southern Chad (resolved 
by intervention from the Ministry of Agriculture), the GOC is 
not impeding progress as Taiwan closes shop in Chad.  Chad's 
Foreign Minister told us that recognition of the PRC was 
important for Chad's standing in the international community, 
as well as its relations with Sudan.  The French believe that 
Chad's oil pipeline is a factor in China's interest in its 
new relationship with Chad.   END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------- 
TAIWAN AMBASSADOR'S POST-MORTEM 
------------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU)  In what was described as a sequence of events 
designed to inflict the maximum humiliation on Taiwan, the 
Taiwan Ambassador was informed at 3 p.m.  on Saturday, August 
5 to inform him that Chad would resume relations with the 
People's Republic of China.  With less than an hour to spare 
before a large, high-level delegation, (led by the Foreign 
Minister) took off for President Deby's inauguration 
ceremony, the Taiwan Ambassador urgently passed the message 
to abort the trip.  In order to save face, Taiwan pre-empted 
the expected announcement from Chad that ties would be broken 
and made the announcement itself. 
 
¶3. (SBU) During a lunch August 10 with Ambassador Soong 
Tzyy-Jeng, First Counselor Hu Fu Chung and Head of the 
Taiwanese Medical Mission. Kuo Tako, Ambassador Soong 
appeared resigned rather than bitter at the turn of events. 
While obviously smarting from the humiliation that China had 
visited on Taiwan, he was also hugely relieved that he had 
been able to avert the diplomatic nightmare of having his 
Foreign Minister arrive in Chad only to be turned away.  The 
60 or so pre-paid hotel rooms and the irony of having just 
financed the repaving of the road in front of the 
Presidential Palace were lesser issues. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Ambassador Soong, scheduled to depart later that 
day, appeared determined to close down shop with the maximum 
dignity and minimum fuss.  He noted that a small contre-temps 
had taken place at Taiwan's agricultural development site, 
where the Governor had attempted to take possession of 
Taiwanese assets in order to "protect" (read: "seize") them. 
After complaining to the Ministry of Agriculture, the assets 
were released.  According to Ambassador Soong, once a 
complete inventory of the goods (farm equipment, supplies, 
etc) had been made, it would all in fact be turned over to 
the Ministry of Agriculture.  The Taiwanese Medical Mission 
was similarly turning over medical equipment and supplies to 
the hospital that it had been assisting. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Ambassador Soong reported that additional Chadian 
police had been placed at the Taiwan installations, including 
the residence and the chancery (all properties belonging to 
the Government of Chad).  Although his staff noted that this 
was a mixed blessing due to the lack of discipline displayed 
by the police, it also went some way in easing their anxiety 
that Taiwan establishments might be seen as a target for 
pillaging.  Ambassador Wall offered to weigh in with the GOC 
should the Taiwanese experience any difficulties. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Queried as to why Chad had taken the step of 
resuming ties with China, Ambassador Soong speculated that it 
had done so in order to have relations with a powerful 
country on the UN Security Council (UNSC).  Since Chad sought 
a UN force on the border, it needed support from the UNSC. 
Reminded that China's other "ally," Sudan, sought to prevent 
such a force, Ambassador Soong laughed that this would have 
to be sorted out.  But Ambassador Soong felt that Chad would 
come to regret the decision.  He believed that China had, and 
 
NDJAMENA 00001054  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
would continue to support Chadian rebels.  In fact, according 
to him, in the long run China sought to overturn the Deby 
regime.   Ambassador Soong was coy in naming the country 
which, according to him, had exerted irresistible pressure on 
Chad to resume times with China, but eventually he conceded 
that the country was Senegal.  While there is a widespread 
popular belief that China is primarily interested in Chad's 
oil resources, members of the Taiwanese delegation did not 
offer this as a rationale for Chad's step.  Rather, they were 
curious to learn U.S. views on Chad's oil prospects and what 
role China would play. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Other Taiwanese enterprises in Chad (including a 
newly opened hotel/restaurant built by a private investor) 
and a 2006 joint venture between a Taiwan oil exploration 
company and the GOC will continue on in Chad.  The Taiwanese 
staff anticipated that there would be greater Chinese 
investment and trade with Chad ahead.  They acknowledged that 
there was no current bar to such trade or investment, but 
explained that having diplomatic relations would greatly 
facilitate the entry of commerce. 
 
------------------------------------- 
CHAD'S FOREIGN MINISTER'S PERSPECTIVE 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) During a August 12 meeting with Ambassador Wall, 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmad Allam-mi stated that the 
renewed diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China 
were a necessary step to improve Chad's position in the 
international community and that recognition of the PRC would 
provide a strong international ally which Chad could not 
afford to be without. He added that the GOC felt that the 
diplomatic recognition of China would also help improve 
relations with Sudan, which was a close ally to the PRC. 
When the Ambassador asked if the Foreign Minister felt that 
renewed diplomatic ties with the PRC would result in an end 
to Chinese support for Chadian rebels in Sudan, Allam-mi said 
that while the PRC continued to deny any support for the 
Chadian rebel movement, he would logically expect that 
improved ties between Chad and China would mean an end to 
military assistance from the PRC to Chad. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Allam-mi also said that while it had asked the 
Taiwan mission to leave Chad, the GOC still hoped to maintain 
economic and cultural relations with Taiwan.  Ambassador Wall 
asked the Foreign Minister to ensure that the Taiwanese were 
treated in a fair and just manner during their departure from 
Chad.  Allam-mi responded by saying that all members of the 
Taiwan mission would be treated fairly as they departed the 
country. 
 
--------------- 
THE FRENCH VIEW 
--------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU)  French Ambassador Bercot described for the 
Ambassador August 11 the results of inquiries the French 
Embassy made in Beijing about the matter.  According to the 
what the French were told, China is ready to support a UN 
resolution on an international force in Darfur, but not 
without Sudan's acceptance.  He said an understanding on 
ending Chinese arms transfers to Chadian rebels in Sudan was 
not part of the deal on recognition, since the Chinese denied 
involvement in these transfers.  The Chinese are expecting to 
build a new embassy on land donated by the Chadian government 
within months, a possibility the French Ambassador thought 
was far too optimistic.  He also believed that China remains 
interested in connecting its oil pipeline in Sudan to the 
Chad-Cameroon pipeline, giving it access to the Gulf of 
Guinea. 
 
-------------- 
COMMENT 
------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  At no time did Ambassador Soong intimate that 
there had been any "negotiation" between Chad and Taiwan. 
Rather, the switch was one that he had sensed was in the 
 
NDJAMENA 00001054  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
offing and had suspected was only a matter of time.  Not 
wanting to leave behind a bad impression as it wraps up its 
affairs, Taiwan may hold out the hope that one day the tide 
will turn again in its favor. 
WALL