Wed, Jul 24, 2002 page3

• Taiwan cuts its ties with tiny Nauru

  MISSED DEADLINE Taipei made the move after the small island state failed to reject an agreement reached between its president and China by 10am yesterday

  • By Monique Chu / STAFF REPORTER
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  Taiwan yesterday terminated its 22-year-old diplomatic ties with Nauru after the tiny Pacific island state declined to overturn its president's recent decision to establish formal relations with China.

  "The government of Nauru will bear all responsibilities and consequences of this reckless move," a foreign ministry press release said, referring Nauru's signing of a joint communique with China that changes its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

  The announcement came two days after Nauru President Rene Harris signed a joint communique with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong (周文重) in Hong Kong on Sunday, saying Nauru recognized China as the sole legitimate Chinese government and that Taiwan was part of China.

  

  Two workers at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs take down a Nauru flag after the government officially announced it was severing diplomatic ties with the tiny South Pacific island state yesterday morning.

  PHOTO: LIAO RAY-SHANG, TAIPEI TIMES

  The failure of Nauru's Cabinet as well its acting president, Remy Namaduk, to express in public their denial of the joint agreement sealed by Harris by 10am yesterday, the deadline set by Taiwan, was what prompted Taipei to make the announcement, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Katharine Chang (張小月).

  When asked whether Nauru's diplomatic switch would trigger Taiwan's remaining 27 diplomatic allies to follow suit, Chang said measures have been put in place to prevent the "domino effect" from happening.

  "We have already sent notification to our embassies requesting them to stay vigilant over any possible attacks, provocation or sabotage from China," Chang said.

  Chang also said Taiwan's ties with its remaining 27 diplomatic allies remain firm.

  The spokeswoman also lashed out at China's decision to sign the joint communique on Sunday, the day when President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was inaugurated as the DPP chairman.

  Timed move

  Judging from the timing of the event, China's ill intent is known to all, Chang said.

  Premier Yu Shyi-kun also accused Beijing of choosing the day of Chen's inauguration as the ruling party's chairman to sign the joint communique.

  Meanwhile, Chang attacked Harris for his defection from Taiwan.

  "The current Nauruan pres-ident, Rene Harris, was heavily courted and apparently prefers the blandishments proffered by the PRC," Chang said.

  While the China-Nauru deal was sealed on the basis of Beijing's promise to offer around US$137 million in aid and debt relief, Harris had recently requested Taiwan to offer US$10 million to his debt-stricken country, an insider at the ministry revealed.

  Yu also criticized Nauru for having requested such a large amount of aid from China, given that the population of the country is even smaller than that of a borough in Panchiao City, Taipei County.

  Yu said that Taiwan should deny any similar request from Nauru.

  `Joyous occasion'

  Deputy Secretary-General to the President Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) described Taiwan's severance of ties with Nauru as "a joyous occasion" as the move could be regarded as Taipei's decision to depart from what he termed "abnormal" measures used to expand the country's external relations.

  Taiwan refused to accept the unreasonable request from a country on the verge of bankruptcy, Wu said.

  "While Taiwan is shaking off `money diplomacy,' China is beginning," Wu said.

  Taiwan yesterday also requested that Nauru return US$12.1 million in loans, although officials admitted it's unlikely that Nauru will be able to make the payment.
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