VZCZCXRO0288
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHIN #0716 1670923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 160923Z JUN 09 ZDK
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1764
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0004
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0740
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0603
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS TAIPEI 000716 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/TC 
STATE PASS USTR FOR STRATFORD AND ALTBACH, TREASURY FOR 
OASIA/WINSHIP AND PISA, NSC FOR LOI, COMMERCE FOR 
4431/ITA/MAC/AP/OPB/TAIWAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAIR PREL PGOV TW CH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN MAY SEEK GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH ICAO 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. During a series of meetings with U.S. 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representatives June 
3-4, officials of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) 
stated that Taiwan wishes to participate, in some manner, in 
the meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization 
(ICAO). (Note: Taiwan is not a member of ICAO. End Note.) 
Although the CAA officials did not press for USG support, 
Taiwan is apparently interested in participating in ICAO 
activities, especially in light of rapidly increased 
cross-Strait flights and interactions.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) CAA Director Lee Long-wen, noting Taiwan's recent 
participation in the May 15 World Health Assembly (WHA) as an 
observer, told FAA Senior Representative for Asia, Carl 
Strombom, and FAA Air Traffic Organization International 
representative for Asia, Daniel Hanlon, that Taiwan would 
welcome FAA's assistance to support Taiwan's participation in 
ICAO. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The week of June 8, a delegation from the PRC Civil 
Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) met with CAA 
officials on air traffic control issues.  This was the first 
direct contact between the two civil aviation authorities, 
according to CAA officials. (Note: Previously, CAA and CAAC 
interacted through the International Air Transport 
Association.  CAA officials also participated as advisors in 
the talks between Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation and 
the PRC's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait. 
 End Note.)  The increased number of cross-Strait flights 
(270 round-trip flights per week) has made direct 
communication on air traffic control critical, said the CAA 
representatives.  CAA officials cited the improvement in 
cross-Strait communications as an indication that Beijing 
acknowledges the importance of the Taiwan flight information 
region (FIR) in regional civil aviation volume, suggesting 
the PRC may not object to some form of Taiwan participation 
in ICAO meetings. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The FAA representatives discussed with CAA officials 
the possibility of Taiwan's participation in a regional ICAO 
conference.  Although the FAA representatives discussed the 
issue, they stated they were not in a position to commit the 
FAA to supporting ICAO participation by Taiwan.  The CAA 
officials said they would consider whether it would be 
appropriate to pursue such an option.  They said CAA senior 
management would have to consult with other officials of the 
Ma administration on this issue, give the political 
sensitivity of Taiwan's participation in international 
organizations. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment.  Repeated references to Taiwan's observer 
status at the WHA by CAA officials in the context of possible 
greater engagement with ICAO were not unexpected.  The lack 
of a strong push by CAA for a USG commitment to support 
Taiwan on the issue, however, suggests that Ma administration 
policy has not yet coalesced.  We do expect Taiwan to focus 
on this eventually, and will continue to track the 
administration's position on ICAO participation.  End Comment. 
 
¶6. (U) FAA Senior Representative for Asia, Carl Strombom, 
cleared this cable. 
 
YOUNG