In response to questions regarding recent media reports about Taiwan's inclusion on a list of countries that pose an intelligence threat to the US, a former deputy secretary of defense Pentagon official said yesterday that he had never heard of such a list during his three years in office.
"I was surprised to learn of this just yesterday. I was the deputy secretary of defense for three years. I know at no time that we had such a list," John Hamre said.
"I am not sure that I understand what this latest development is. I don't know if it was something that was created in the context of the discussion on China and its accepting, or soon being given, permanent normal trade relations, or if someone thought somehow that it would help the debate or not," Hamre added.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
Having left his position at the Pentagon two months ago, Hamre is now president and CEO of the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is in Taipei for a roundtable discussion tomorrow on "The Challenges in the New Millennium." The meeting will be the seventh of its kind for CSIS in Taipei.
Hamre said it was embarrassing to see Taiwan reported as an intelligence threat given that the US considers Taiwan a friendly country.
"It did not seem to be a constructive thing. It was absolutely new to me. I was in the government for three years, but I was never once presented with or confronted with that," Hamre said.
"The fact that it was [I think] leaked and printed is something that I cannot comment about until I get back to Washington."
Michael Swaine, a senior researcher at the US-based Rand Corporation, told the Taipei Times in a recent interview that he doubted the credibility of reports about Taiwan being an intelligence threat to the US
"It is quite common for countries, even closely-connected ones, to spy on one another. Any country could be on the list. Great Britain, Canada or Israel," Swaine said.
Before meeting with the local press yesterday afternoon, Hamre and accompanying CSIS members visited President Chen Shui-bian (
"One of the most important things President Chen said this morning is that Taiwan will not provoke China into taking action," Hamre said.
He did not disclose more about his talk with Chen.
As well as exchanging views with Chen, Hamre also consulted with Minister of National Defense Wu Shih-wen (
"I know there is a good deal of frustration here with the pace of arms sales [from the US]. We had a very good discussion about this with Mr Wu," Hamre said.
"As you have seen from history, we have provided Taiwan, though with some delay, with some of the best weapons," he said. "Obviously, Taiwan would like to get the most advanced weapons possible. The US seems to provide what is necessary without being provocative [to China]."
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