The man who will take charge of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next month has said he will work to ensure that the "equilibrium" in cross-strait relations is maintained, but gave no indication that he plans to support increased military cooperation between the US and Taiwan.
Richard Lugar of Indiana, in his first comments on Taiwan since the Republicans were assured of control of the Senate after last month's elections, said he plans to "continue to adhere to the Taiwan [Relations] Act and that means making sure that Taiwan's security is not lessened, but seeing that the equilibrium is maintained."
He made his comments in response to a question by the Taipei Times after his first press conference on foreign policy since the election.
"I think we will adhere strictly to the equilibrium policy that we have had, which means that the defense of Taiwan is assured through appropriate replacement as is required," he said.
Lugar brushed aside questions about whether he is willing to resurrect efforts by one-time committee chairman Jesse Helms to push through legislation to increase US military-to-military cooperation with Taiwan.
Most of his press conference was devoted to Iraq, terrorism, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Russia and nonproliferation issues, and he appeared unprepared and inadequately briefed on Taiwan and Chinese affairs.
Asked about whether Taiwan should be included in the missile defense shield planned by the George W. Bush administration, Lugar gave a non-committal answer.
"With regard to missile defense in Taiwan, this is clearly a question of statecraft that I will just say, frankly, is above my pay grade," he said.
"Clearly it will be, with regard to relations with the People's Republic of China, in addition to Taiwan, with some sensitivity to our friends in Korea and Japan and elsewhere.
"In other words, those in Asia with whom we are closely allied, because it's obviously an extremely sensitive issue and will not be approached without, I think, a great deal of diplomacy," he said.
Lugar was assured the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when the Republicans gained control of the Senate. Up until the Democrats gained control of the committee earlier this year, Helms, one of Congress' greatest supporters of Taiwan, was chairman.
Helms retired at the end of the just-completed session, and Lugar, as senior Republican under Senate rules, will replace him when the 108th Congress assembles next month.
Lugar, who is more associated with major European, Russian and Middle Eastern issues, has shown little interest in Asia, aside from a period during the Ronald Reagan administration when he spearheaded the US-forced ouster of Ferdinand Marcos as Philippine president in 1986.
Helms tried unsuccessfully for years in the 1990s to get his committee and the Senate to approve the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, which would cement military ties between Taiwan and the US.
Then last year, the Senate rejected a House-passed provision in a defense authorization bill that would also strengthen US-Taiwan military ties by setting up a program of training and joint operations.
Lugar's answers to questions during and after today's press conference indicated he has no plans to resurrect those military measures.
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