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18 April 2000

Text: Senator Helms Statement on Taiwan Defense Requests Denial

(Says rejection shows need for Taiwan Security Enhancement Act) (470)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms issued a press
release April 17 expressing extreme disappointment that the U.S.
Department of Defense had decided against selling Aegis-class
destroyers to Taiwan and had suggested delaying the sale of
early-warning radars to the island.
"There is, quite simply, no military justification to deny Taiwan
these crucial defensive items," Helms said.
Helms warned in his press release that if the Clinton Administration
followed through on the Pentagon's recommendations, then the time
would have come for the Senate to join the House of Representatives in
passing the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act.
Following is the text:
(begin text)
HELMS BLASTS REPORTED PLANS TO DENY TAIWAN DEFENSE REQUESTS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse
Helms issued the following statement today:
"I am extremely disappointed to learn that the Pentagon has apparently
succumbed to pressure from the State Department and the White House to
sacrifice Taiwan's security in order to appease the dictators in
Beijing.
"For months, we in Congress were led by Defense Department officials
to believe that the Pentagon was leading the fight to sell Aegis
destroyers to Taiwan. Now we learn that they are doing no such thing.
Moreover, we are learning that the Pentagon has apparently backed off
its earlier commitment to provide Taiwan with urgently-needed early
warning radars, recommending a delay until Taiwan can prove that it
can integrate the radar into its system.
"This adds insult to injury. Any problems Taiwan's military would face
integrating these systems would stem from no fault of its own, but
rather from 20 years of the isolation the United States has imposed on
Taiwan. This Administration has sunk to a new low indeed when they
don't even have the courage to fulfill a commitment to sell a civil
defense item to Taiwan for fear of offending Communist China.
"There is, quite simply, no military justification to deny Taiwan
these crucial defensive items. These denials are driven by knee-jerk
appeasement on the part of the White House and the State Department.
"If the Pentagon will not stand up for Taiwan, then it is clear
Congress will have to take action. If the Administration follows
through on these recommendations, and denies Taiwan these critical
defensive items, then the time will have come for the Senate to join
the House in passing the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act.
"The politicized handling of Taiwan's defense request -- and the utter
failure of this Administration to consult with Congress -- is a clear
demonstration why the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act is so urgently
needed."
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State)