RESTRICTED
HKCC 020/5
RECEIVED IN
APR 1993
(4)
001452
MDHIAN 8275
RESTRICTED
FM ATTC TAIPEI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 104
OF 231028Z APRIL 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
PROST
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on fel
нимаша.
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE TOKYO, SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA, UKMIS NEW YORK INFO ROUTINE SEOUL
SUMMARY
1. TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT DOWNPLAYS EXPECTATIONS THAT THE KOO-WANG TALKS WILL LEAD RAPIDLY TO DIRECT TRADE OR THAT TAIWAN IS ANXIOUS TO PURSUE UNIFICATION. PRESIDENT LEE PLAYING A DEFT GAME, TRYING TO CALM PUBLIC FEARS OF A SELL-OUT AND MOLLIFY AN ANGRY OPPOSITION, WHILST MENTIONING UNIFICATION IN THE SAME BREATH. LONG LIST OF TRADE-RELATED DEMANDS ON TAIWANESE SIDE.
DETAIL
2. CHEYNE CHIU, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF TAIWAN'S STRAITS EXCHANGE FOUNDATION (SEF) LEFT FOR SINGAPORE ON 22 APRIL. HIS ARRIVAL HAS RECEIVED WIDE PRESS COVERAGE HERE, AS HAS THAT OF HIS CHINESE OPPOSITE NUMBER, TANG SHUBEI OF ARATS. EACH SPOKE TO THE PRESS AT THE AIRPORT. TANG IS REPORTED TO HAVE OBJECTED TO THE NOTION OF A
DPP PRESENCE AT THE TALKS. CHIU TALKED BLANDLY OF THE PRIVATE NATURE OF THE TALKS, SAYING THAT BETTER CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS WOULD BOOST SECURITY IN ASIA.
3. IN TAIPEI THE MAINLAND AFFAIRS COUNCIL (MAC) AGAIN TURNED DOWN THE DPP'S DEMAND THAT AN ACADEMIC BE ALLOWED TO OBSERVE THE TALKS. THE DPP RESPONDED WITH PARLIAMENTARY FILIBUSTERS ON
CRUCIAL LEGISLATION THAT HAD TO BE PASSED RAPIDLY TO AVOID US
TRADE SANCTIONS. (IT WAS EVENTUALLY PASSED.) IT ALSO VICIOUSLY
ATTACKED CF KOO, CALLING HIM A TRAITOR. THE ELDERLY KOO SAYS HE
WANTS TO QUIT. DPP HAS NOT YET DECIDED ON A COURSE OF DISRUPTIVE
ACTION IN SINGAPORE. IF IT DOES, A RIGHT-WING KMT PATRIOTIC FRONT PLANS TO SEND A TEAM TO STAGE COUNTER DEMONSTRATIONS. STREET
SCUFFLES ARE A POSSIBILITY.
4. ON 22 APRIL, PRESIDENT LEE MADE A POLITICAL SPEECH (TO LADIES AT A TEA PARTY). HE STRESSED THE 'PRIVATE' NATURE OF TAIWAN-
CHINA RELATIONS AND OF THE TALKS. HE REPORTEDLY SAID 'IF THERE IS TO BE ANY BREAKTHROUGH IN THE DEVELOPMENT IN RELATIONS, IT WILL
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