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St. Kitts and Nevis is still a strong ally, official says

Relations between Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis remain strong despite a delay in the sending of a congratulatory note to president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), an official for the Caribbean island country said yesterday.

Kittian charge d’affaire to Taiwan Jasmine Huggins told the Central News Agency that Taiwan-St. Kitts ties remain firm and there was no reason to suspect any otherwise.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also echoed Huggins’ views, saying that Taiwan and St. Kitts enjoy a very healthy and close relationship and that all bilateral projects between the two countries are progressing as scheduled.

It was reported that the charge d’ affaire had to return home on the same day as the election because of a family emergency.

The rumor of shaky ties between the two countries started last week when Vice-President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said in a newspaper interview that the delay in the issuance of congratulatory notes from four of Taiwan’s allies, namely Burkina Faso, San Tome and Principe, Guatemala and St. Kitts and Nevis was a sign of deteriorating relations.

The ministry immediately refuted Lu’s remarks, saying that the nation’s friendships with these countries had not been affected and that the significance behind the delays should not be overly exaggerated.

The Ma camp received a congratulatory note from Basseterre last Friday.

The ministry said that the note was personally written by Kittian Prime Minister Denzil Douglas and said: “Taiwan has long been a faithful and close friend to St. Kitts for nearly 25 years and the government of St. Kitts and Nevis remains firmly committed to the growth of this friendship.”

The note also said the Kittian government hoped the Taiwan-St. Kitts relationship would continue to blossom under the incoming administration to “produce benefits of mutual advantage for both sides.”

Governor-General Sir Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian is expected to attend the inauguration ceremony on May 20, officials said.

Taiwan became the first diplomatic ally of Saint Kitts and Nevis after its independence when the two forged diplomatic ties in 1983. Douglas visited Taiwan in February to attend the opening ceremony of the country’s first embassy in Asia.
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