VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0762 1750918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240918Z JUN 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1820
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9264
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0694

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000762 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage June 24 on the Ministry of the Interior's approval of 
upgrading Taipei County to "special municipality status," and the 
upgrading and mergers of Taichung City and Taichung County, 
Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County, respectively; on a local 
lottery winner's generous donation to a charity; and on various 
local political issues.  Most local newspapers, including the 
centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times," which ran a banner headline on 
page eight, reported that Taiwan is likely to open its market to 
U.S. beef, including bone-in beef, fully in the near future.  In 
terms of editorials and commentaries, regarding the political 
turmoil in Iran, a column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" said 
the United States as well as other countries should restrain 
themselves from interfering in the current unrest in Iran, because 
it is more likely that a revolution will succeed if no foreign 
influence is directly involved.  Another column in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" praised United States President Barack 
Obama's insistence on dealing cautiously with the unrest in Iran, 
even though he faces harsh criticism from conservative politicians 
in the United States for being too cowardly to condemn Iran.  End 
summary. 
 
A) "Let the Revolution Evolve Quietly" 
 
Apple Daily Publisher James Tu wrote in his column in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (6/24): 
 
"... The United States did not help to materialize the Tehran Spring 
in 1997.  China also failed to coach Iranian clerics on how to 
suppress the Tehran Spring.  Now, the Tehran Spring is coming again. 
 Facing unrest in Iran, the United States, just as China, is still 
at a loss as to what to do.  Rather than getting involved in [the 
unrest in Iran] actively, [the United States] might as well let it 
[a revolution in Iran] evolve quietly!" 
 
B) "Obama's Calm in Dealing with the Storm in Iran" 
 
Columnist Lin Po-wen wrote in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China 
Times" [circulation: 120,000] (6/24): 
 
"... [United States President Barack] Obama and his foreign affairs 
and national security staff certainly know that, at this sensitive 
juncture, the United States must not talk big.  Whatever [the United 
States] speaks out on must be materialized by deeds.  If it [the 
United States] cannot fulfill what it has said, then it is better 
not to brag.  The Obama Administration of course loathes 
conservative [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad deep in its 
heart.  However, loathing is one thing, [but on the other hand,] you 
[the United States] still have to deal with him, and speak out 
cautiously, and not be regarded by the Iranian authorities as 
interfering with domestic affairs, thereby giving [Iran] a pretext 
to fan anti-American sentiment.  Although this time Iran accuses the 
United States, the United Kingdom and Israel of stirring up trouble, 
its choice of [accusatory] words is much better than before.  In the 
minds of Iran's Islamic clerics and politicians, the most evil ones 
are the United Kingdom and Israel. ..." 
 
YOUNG