The Control Yuan yesterday censured the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for issuing a document that instructed the country’s overseas representative offices to turn down offers of foreign aid except for monetary donations following Typhoon Morakot.
The delay in rescue efforts for typhoon victims was partly because MOFA’s move damaged the government’s image, Control Yuan member Liu Yu-shan (劉玉山) said.
The ministry was criticized for issuing the instructions on Aug. 11, three days after the typhoon battered the south, which led to the resignation of former vice minister Andrew Hsia (夏立言).
The investigation found that the decision to reject foreign aid was made by deputy commander of the Central Emergency Operation Center Huang Chi-min (黃季敏) in his then-capacity as director-general of the National Fire Administration.
The ministry was told that weather conditions were not suitable for rescue efforts after it asked for instructions from the National Security Council (NSC), which then referred the question to Huang via the Cabinet’s homeland security office, Liu said.
Liu said the ministry should have asked the center directly in accordance with the rules governing the ministry’s practices in international rescue efforts.
The Control Yuan’s investigation cleared NSC Secretary-General Su Chi (蘇起), who was alleged to have asked MOFA to reject the offers.
Control Yuan member Lee Ping-nan (李炳南) said that senior officials at the Executive Yuan and the Presidential Office were not involved in the decision-making as they did not give directives to the ministry.
The ministry is required by the Control Act (監察法) to respond to the Control Yuan on its improvement proposal within two months.
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