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Taiwan regrets being denied access to Jakarta defense conference

ROC Central News Agency

2013/03/25 15:52:44

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has expressed regret and discontent over Indonesia's snub of Taiwan at the just-concluded 2013 Jakarta International Defense Dialogue, Foreign Minister David Lin said Monday.

Taiwan had planned to send two scholars and two officials from the country's representative office in Jakarta to take part in the defense forum being held in Jakarta March 20-21.

Indonesian authorities canceled their invitation to Taiwan at the last minute, however, leading to Taiwan's absence from the conference.

Lin suggested that the snub came after China's embassy in Jakarta protested the Indonesian government's invitation to Taiwan.

'We have voiced our discontent over Indonesia's snub,' Lin said while fielding questions at a hearing of the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

The ministry has also reminded Indonesia that its move was unfair to Taiwan, Lin said.

'We have told them that Taiwan's participation in such an activity would benefit every party concerned,' Lin said, adding that Taiwan looked forward to taking part in all future international defense dialogues.

Indonesia began to host the annual international defense forum in 2011.

Ma Chen-kun, a National Defense University professor, represented Taiwan at the 2012 conference.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Yi-ying asked Lin whether President Ma Ying-jeou's recent attendance at Pope Francis' installation Mass at the Vatican prompted China to pressure Indonesia to withdraw its invitation to Taiwan.

'The possibility of such a connection is pretty low,' Lin said, but he pledged that his ministry would further assess the factors behind China's action and would make every possible effort to ensure the country's access to the meeting next year.

According to media reports, Lt. Gen. Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army, headed China's delegation at this year's defense conference.

(By Angelea Tsai and Sofia Wu)
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