VZCZCXRO4975
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHPO #0441/01 2321858
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201858Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9609
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0133
RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO 1148
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0019

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000441 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CAR FOR JROSHOLT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NS CH TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN AID PROPOSAL "IN THE GARBAGE?" 
 
REF: A. PARAMARIBO 297 
     ¶B. PARAMARIBO 305 
     ¶C. PARAMARIBO 315 
     ¶D. PARAMARIBO 346 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000441  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This cable is the fifth in a series (refs A-D) on Chinese and 
Taiwanese activities in Suriname in the spring and summer of 
¶2007. 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  A Surinamese delegation including four 
parliamentarians traveled to Taiwan from July 16-20 on their 
"personal title," and returned to Suriname with an "official" 
offer of aid from the government of Taiwan (GOT).  However, 
the government of Suriname (GOS) has never acknowledged 
receiving it, and one Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) 
policy advisor said on August 7 that he would advise the GOS 
to "throw it in the garbage basket."  Meanwhile, the 
dollar-diplomacy battle between the GOT and the government of 
China (GOC) continues, with the GOC making generous donations 
via GOS Ministries, and the GOT creating ties with 
non-governmental organizations*in some cases via opposition 
politicians.  While the GOT appears to have taken a small 
step forward in its campaign to make itself the player in 
Suriname, especially in public awareness, the GOS,s strong 
support of the One-China Policy is, if anything, clearer than 
ever.  END SUMMARY 
 
---------------------------- 
Four Parliamentarians Travel 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  After lengthy public waffling (ref D), in the end 
four parliamentarians journeyed to Taiwan for a 
"familiarization visit," traveling in their personal 
capacities rather than as officials representing the GOS. 
The most prominent was Hendrik Sakimin, of the coalition 
party Pertjaja Luhur; Pertjaja Luhur has significant 
ethnic-Chinese support, and its Chairman, Speaker of 
Parliament Paul Somohardjo, has Presidential aspirations for 
¶2010.  Sakimin was accompanied by fellow coalition 
parliamentarian Henk Deel and opposition colleagues Rashied 
Doekhie and Theo Vishnudatt.  The most significant 
non-participant was Deputy Speaker of Parliament Caprino 
Alendy, who maintained until the last moment that he would 
go, only to announce after the delegation had left that he 
was staying behind out of concern for an ill fellow party 
member.  Alendy has not bothered to refute assertions that 
his non-participation was a result of political pressure (an 
interpretation promoted by Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian 
himself, who told Surinamese media he regretted the political 
pressure placed on Alendy not to participate). 
 
--------------------------------- 
Taiwanese Offer "in the Garbage?" 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  There was significant back and forth in the press 
as to whether the excuse of the parliamentarians of going on 
"personal title" was valid or not.  For their part, the GOT 
did everything they could to make the delegation seem 
official: most important, the GOT handed over a letter 
offering aid, asking Sakimin to take it to GOS Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Lygia Kraag-Keteldijk.  However, weeks after 
the delegation,s return, on August 8, Kraag-Keteldijk was 
still saying simply "I haven,t received anything."  One of 
her policy advisors, Arnold Kruisland, was blunter, saying 
that should she ever receive it, he would advise her "not to 
react to it, or to throw it immediately into the garbage." 
Kruisland speculated that Sakimin had never handed it over 
because he was "advised not to."  Sakimin responded on August 
14 by saying he will indeed turn over the letter, but that he 
is still trying to determine the proper protocol for doing so 
as a "citizen."  Meanwhile, Vice President Ram Sardjoe said, 
"it was not an official delegation, how can there be talk of 
an official offer of aid?" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
China Offers 100s of 1000s; Ministers Gladly Accept 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The GOC did not stand idly by during the Taiwan 
trip.  On July 24, GOS Minister of Defense Ivan Fernald 
accepted the gift of U.S. $600,000 in military goods from GOC 
Ambassador to Suriname Su Ge.  On August 8, GOS Minister of 
Health Celsius Waterberg and Ambassador Su oversaw the 
signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for technical 
assistance for the GOS in the area of traditional medicine. 
 
PARAMARIBO 00000441  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
And from July 30 to August 2, a delegation of the Europe 
China Foundation traveled to Suriname to explore investment 
in an auto-assembly line, harbor facilities, a teak 
plantation, and a bank and discussed its desire to use 
Suriname as an entry-point for access to markets in the 
Caribbean.  The delegation was favored with meetings with 
three Ministers, including Kraag-Keteldijk. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Taiwan Offers 1000s, NGOs and Opposition Gladly Accept 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The delegation to Taiwan did not return 
empty-handed, however; while the government of Taiwan made 
clear that the millions in aid offered in the "official" 
letter would require diplomatic recognition, the GOT did 
promise to funnel some no-strings aid for four small projects 
via NGOs: a ferry service, an agricultural school, subsidized 
fertilizer, and a community center.  And on August 4, 
Suriname-Taiwan Friendship Foundation Chairperson David Chin 
ceremonially handed over goods and a check worth 
approximately U.S. $4600 to an orphanage in Paramaribo. 
Taiwan participant and opposition parliamentarian Doekhie,s 
district was the recipient of two of the projects.  Fellow 
participant Vishnudatt enthused that the GOS should 
"reconsider diplomatic relations with Taiwan and make it a 
top policy priority."  However, even he found room for the 
One-China Policy, adding that as Taiwan has now stopped 
calling itself the Republic of China, "there is only one 
 China, on the continent of Asia... thus, our government 
can now also undertake diplomatic relations with Taiwan." 
 
¶6. (SBU)  COMMENT:  The idea of parliamentarians traveling on 
their personal title was a thin farce, and the GOS,s clever 
sidestep (refusing to consider the GOT proposal rather than 
rejecting it outright) doesn,t underline their support of 
China in the way the GOC no doubt would like.  But gray-area 
diplomacy is de rigueur for the GOS, and essentially, nothing 
has changed politically on the One-China issue.  At best, the 
GOT can take satisfaction with once again having raised its 
public profile: coverage and debate on the Taiwan/China 
rivalry dominated the Surinamese press from March through 
August.  Taiwan,s foot is now in the door.  It might also be 
pleased with the favorable words the opposition 
parliamentarians threw their way--but Vishnudatt,s party has 
only one seat, and Doekhie held back from directly saying the 
GOS should begin diplomatic relations with the GOT.  As long 
as China can continue to dump hundreds of thousands of 
dollars worth of aid on Suriname in regular intervals, 
Surinamese governments--whether made up of the current 
coalition parties or future governments from out of the 
opposition--are likely to continue to stick with the GOC as 
the safe, known alternative (without a word about human 
rights violations, environmental and safety disasters, and 
one-party rule).  How safe and known the GOC now considers 
Suriname is harder to say: pricked by GOT efforts, the GOC 
increasingly treats Suriname as a key battleground in its 
fight for influence in the Caribbean.  END COMMENT 
SCHREIBER HUGHES