VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1387 2660614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220614Z SEP 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9987
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8608
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0058

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001387 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. AND TAIWAN'S UN BID 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave extensive 
coverage September 20-22 to a well-known Taiwan food processing 
company, some of whose products were found to have been tainted with 
melamine from China; and to the story of a China Airlines passenger 
jet that encountered turbulence on its way from Taipei to Bali, 
Indonesia, on Saturday and lost altitude abruptly, resulting in 
injuries to around 30 passengers.  In addition, all major 
Chinese-language and English-language dailies in Taiwan carried a 
statement by the U.S. Mission to the UN (USUN) last Wednesday that 
expressed support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN 
specialized agencies.  The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" ran a news 
story on page ten Saturday with the headline "In a Rare Move, the 
United States Expresses Support for Taiwan's UN Bid; Supporting 
Taiwan to Become an Observer at WHA; Presidential Office: [Taiwan's] 
Pragmatic Diplomacy Has Earned  Recognition."  The centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" also ran a banner headline on page eight 
Saturday reading "United States: Support Taiwan's Participation in 
UN Specialized Agencies."  In terms of editorials and commentaries, 
an "Apple Daily" editorial said the USUN statement showed that 
President Ma Ying-jeou's cross-Strait policy has allayed 
Washington's concerns on this issue, prompting the United States' 
"goodwill gesture."  End summary. 
 
"U.S.-Style Goodwill Gesture" 
 
The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] 
editorialized (9/20): 
 
"The U.S. Mission to the UN issued a statement expressing strong 
support for Taiwan's participation in UN specialized agencies, and 
the statement particularly mentioned [Taiwan's observer status] in 
the World Health Assembly.  U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John 
Negroponte also complimented Taiwan's recent efforts in engaging in 
dialogue with China. ... 
 
"All these have clearly indicated the United States' principles: 
Namely, that the United States is willing to support Taiwan's 
participation in the peripheral agencies of the UN, but there are 
two prerequisites:  First, [these agencies] must be of a nature 
which does not require statehood; and second, Taiwan must engage in 
dialogue with China rather than seeking independence and resistance 
[against Beijing].  Such are the sufficient conditions, though not 
essential ones, for the United States to support Taiwan's 
participation in the [UN] peripheral agencies.  President Ma's 
cross-Strait policy has freed Washington from concern, and it 
therefore released its goodwill gesture.  But still, Ma needs to 
understand clearly that his discretion [in terms of cross-Strait 
relations], of not going too far or not far enough, will help to 
reassure the Taiwan people." 
 
YOUNG