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French decision to close military office in Taiwan not finalized

ROC Central News Agency

2010/06/01 12:24:38

Taipei, June 1 (CNA) Discounting a Liberty Times report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said late Monday that the French government has not yet finalized a decision to close down its military liaison office in Taiwan.

In a statement issued Monday evening, the MOFA said the French government has told Taiwan that based on budgetary and personnel considerations, it is downsizing its overseas representation, including the military liaison office under its de facto embassy in Taiwan, the French Institute in Taipei.

But the ministry said France has not finalized the plan.

"It is a French internal matter, and the MOFA will not comment on when the military liaison office in Taiwan will be closed down, " the statement said.

The Liberty Times reported Monday that because Taiwan reneged on a consensus that the commission dispute involving the sale of six Lafayette-class frigates would be solved out of court, the French government has ordered that the military liaison office in Taiwan be closed down in July.

The Chinese-language newspaper also said that as part of an out-of-court settlement, France had agreed to sell new weapons to Taiwan, help raise the technical levels of the Lafayette frigates and French-made Mirage jet fighters, and offer more technical services to Taiwan's military.

The Ministry of National Defense denied the report the same day, saying it was completely off base. It said that logistics, technical maintenance and personnel training related to the Lafayette frigates and Mirage fighters have proceeded smoothly and normally according to existing contracts.

The International Court of Arbitration under the International Chamber of Commerce on May 3 ordered French defense contractor Thales and the French government to pay a penalty of more than US$591 million to Taiwan for paying commissions on the Lafayette frigate sale to Taiwan's Navy in 1991, in violation of the contract on the deal.

Foreign Minister Timothy Yang also said Monday that the Lafayette arbitration was a business issue and would not have any adverse impact on bilateral relations between Taiwan and France.

Yang said it remains to be verified whether the French government will indeed close its military liaison office in Taiwan in July.

Contrary to Yang's remarks, Ko Kuang-yueh, deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council, said at a legislative meeting Monday that although France is closing down its military liaison office in Taiwan in July, "the French government will come up with a better substitute plan." "Existing exchange programs, including military and technical support and services will not be affected," Ko said.

(By Hsieh Chia-chen and Deborah Kuo) enditem/ls