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U.S. OFFICIAL WARNS OF CONSEQUENCES OF TAIWAN ARMS PROCUREMENT DELAY

ROC Central News Agency

2006-10-28 13:20:16

    Washington, Oct. 27 (CNA) Taiwan will lose the support of the United States if it continues to delay its arms procurement plan, a senior U.S. official warned Friday.

    If Taiwan is reluctant to invest in its own defense, the new administration to be formed in 2008 in Taiwan should be prepared to "inherit a mess of government with U.S.-Taiwan relations on a downward spiral" and "inherit a government with minimum support from the new U.S. administration, " the official told the Central News Agency during a background briefing.

    The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a recent call by Stephen Young, director of the American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Taipei office, for Taiwan to pass its long-stalled arms procurement budget this fall was "friendly advice to the heart" and that he hopes "Taiwan recognizes the seriousness of his message."

    According to the official, the U.S. government has sent similar messages to Taiwan on many occasions and Young's remarks was only a reiteration of Washington's long-standing position. "I'm pretty certain that if Taiwan does not demonstrate her determination to defend herself by investing in her self-defense, you will see a re-evaluation of U.S. security assistance to Taiwan, " the official said.

    He said that although the U.S. government will still fulfill its commitment to defend Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, Washington will review the extent of its security support for Taiwan.

    He expressed disappointment at what he described as a situation in which "some politicians are using Taiwan's long-term survival as if it is a chip to be used for political gambling."

    Urging Taiwan to take immediate action to deal with the arms procurement budget, he said this fall is a critical "turning point." "The U.S.-Taiwan relationship will not remain as it is. It will either go up or it will go down. It will definitely not stay constant," he warned. "U.S. support for Taiwan is not something to fool around with. Once it is gone, it will be difficult to regain," he added.

    According to the official, if this happens, Taiwan's long-term security will be jeopardized and China will force Taiwan to accept terms that are against the interests of its 23 million people.

    Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the strong reaction from Taiwan's opposition toward Young's remarks, U.S. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday: "I'm not aware that Mr. Young presented the U.S. position any differently than it's been presented in the past."

    Asked if Washington has any plans to recall him over the controversy, McCormack said: "Young is doing a good job."

    The opposition in Taiwan, which has blocked the arms procurement budget over the past two years, was unhappy with Young's remarks and described Young's remarks as interference in Taiwan's internal affairs.

    Some opposition legislators urged the public Friday to bombard the AIT with phone calls to voice their protest and to "paralyze the AIT's operation."

    Also Friday, former Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Shih Ming-teh accused Young of having spoken as if he was the "U.S. governor of Taiwan" and he urged President Chen Shui-bian to request that the U.S. government replace Young to "defend Taiwan's sovereignty."

(By Jorge Liu, Chiehyu Lin and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/J