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Shaheen could step down as AIT head, sources say

American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairwoman Therese Shaheen will leave her post soon, sources said Friday.

Shaheen became the AIT's sixth chairperson and managing director in late 2002. She has been the top US liaison officer with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties for only 15 months.

Asked whether Shaheen will end her AIT service, a Bush administration official said it was possible. He further said it was up to high-level government authorities to make a final decision.

Reliable sources said paperwork regarding Shaheen's departure was already underway.

Shaheen has been on leave over the past week and AIT staff said they did not know when she would return to work.

Shaheen was straightforward and passionate, but that persona made her somewhat incompatible with the AIT post, which deals with sensitive diplomatic affairs, critics said.

Diplomatic sources said Shaheen's friendliness toward the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration has sometimes surpassed the Bush administration's limits.

For instance, the sources said, some of Shaheen's public statements last summer sent confusing messages to Taipei, thus misleading the DPP administration into underestimating the US government's concern about its referendum plan.

Her remarks about the priority order for Taiwan's arms procurements also drew criticism, but the last straw that may have led to Shaheen's departure was her public expression of congratulations on March 26 on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) re-election.

At the time, the White House had not yet issued a congratulatory message.

It remains unclear who will succeed Shaheen as AIT chief. The post was left vacant for six months after her predecessor, Richard Bush, stepped down.
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