Legislator demands expulsion of Brazil representative

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) demanded the expulsion of the top Brazilian representative to Taiwan yesterday following comments he made last week.

Wang made the demand during a press conference held at the Legislative Yuan yesterday in the presence of Hipo Chen (陳思明), chairman of the youth exchange program for Rotary International District 3520.

According to Chen, Sergio Abi-Sad made inappropriate comments during a meeting with him at the Brazil Business Center in Taipei last Wednesday.

Chen said that he originally wanted to talk about possible exchange programs with Abi-Sad after being invited by the representative to the Center.

"Not long after we started to talk, Mr Abi-Sad began to complain about Taiwan's public security, saying that all students here are involved in drug trafficking ? he even went as far as saying that Taiwan isn't a country, that it belongs to China," Chen told the press conference.

Abi-Sad reaffirmed part of his statement during an interview broadcast by local TV channel ETTV earlier this week.

"Taiwan is not a country for Brazil; Taiwan is a small island belonging to the People's Republic of China? this is not a secret," Abi-Sad said in the interview clip played during the press conference.

After his complaints, Abi-Sad asked for a list of Brazilian students on the club's exchange program in Taiwan at the moment, "so that they [the Brazil Business Center] can protect the students," Chen said.

Chen responded that a list of names and contact information of the Brazilian students had already been submitted to the center when, "all of a sudden, he [Abi-Sad] began yelling at me: `Get out of my office! Out! Out! Out!'" Chen said.

Chen said he felt humiliated and believed the way Abi-Sad behaved that day was inappropriate.

Wang said he would ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), as well as members of the Taiwan caucus in the Brazilian parliament to protest to the Brazilian government.

"Taiwan may be a small country? but we also deserve dignity," Wang told the press conference. "I would like to see the departure of Sergio Abi-Sad from Taiwan."

Li Yu-chin (李玉錦), a secretary at the Brazil Business Center who was present at the meeting between Abi-Sad and Chen, confirmed that the verbal exchange did occur.

"Yes, it [the verbal exchange] did happen ? but in my opinion, it's was just a miscommunication between the two," Li said.

"We should find a way to solve the problem, instead of asking for Abi-Sad's departure," she added.

Meanwhile, MOFA said it would inform the Brazilian government of its feelings about the matter, but would not necessarily ask for Abi-Sad's departure.

"[Abi-Sad's] statements certainly do not help to enhance relations between the two countries? we will inform the Brazilian government of our feelings, and we will see how they react to it," MOFA spokesman David Wang (王建業) told the Taipei Times by phone yesterday.

"At the moment, I can't say if we'll request his departure," he said.