US embassy cable - 05PARIS3546

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 003546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TPHY, AORC, EWWT, PBTS, EAID, SENV, TW, KSCI, UNESCO 
SUBJECT: USUNESCO:  TAIWAN SEEKS PARTICIPATION IN 
TSUNAMI ALERT PLANNING ACTIVITIES OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL 
 
 
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OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION (IOC) 
 
1.  Summary and action request:  the Taiwan representative's 
office in France has requested U.S. support for its efforts 
to participate in planning for a tsunami early warning 
system under the auspices of the Intergovernmental 
Oceanographic Commission (IOC).  Taiwan has written to IOC 
officials expressing its wish to take part in the activities 
of the International Coordination Group for the Tsunami 
warning system (ITSU) in the Pacific.  It has also expressed 
its wish to attend relevant coordination meetings for the 
development of a tsunami warning system for the Indian 
Ocean, including the upcoming June IOC assembly meeting in 
Paris.   Post seeks department guidance on how to respond to 
the Taiwan representative's request, including -- if 
appropriate -- guidance on channels through which Taiwan 
should direct its demarche.  End summary and action request. 
 
2.  Lih-Mih Hsieh of the Taiwan representative's office in 
France has requested USUNESCO to assist it in its efforts to 
participate in the tsunami network planning activities of 
the intergovernmental oceanographic commission.  In a 
meeting with USUNESCO political officer, Hseih emphasized 
that Taiwan is vulnerable to tsunamis and wants to be 
involved so it can protect its citizenry.  He underscored 
that Taiwan has technical equipment -- earth observation 
systems, satellites, and other resources -- that could 
contribute to a tsunami warning network.  Hseih noted that 
the question of Taiwan's participation is viewed as a 
political issue, but argued that it shouldn't be. 
 
3.  According to Hsieh, the Taiwan representative's office 
contacted UNESCO in early February to ask to attend tsunami 
network planning activities as an observer, but its request 
was turned down, apparently pursuant to overall UNESCO 
policy concerning Taiwan.  Providing a summary of Taiwan's 
lobbying efforts thus far, Hsieh reported that the central 
weather bureau of Taiwan has written to:  dr. Laura Kong, 
director of international tsunami information center at 
Honolulu; Mr. Peter Pissienssens, head of IOC ocean 
services; and Patricio Bernal, IOC executive secretary (text 
of letter to Bernal requesting invitation to the April 14-16 
Mauritius meeting reported Para 5).  These letters conveyed 
Taiwan's request to take part in the activities of ITSU, and 
to attend international coordination meetings for the 
development of tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean. 
 
4.  Hseih expressed appreciation for USG efforts to allow 
Taipei to participate in the group on earth observations 
(geo) third summit, Feb 14-16, 2005.  He also cited as a 
positive development the recent decision of the who 
Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the revision of 
International Health Regulations (IHR) to include as an IHR 
governing principle the "principle of universality," thus 
furnishing a legal basis for Taiwan's eventual inclusion. 
 
5.  Text of letter from Chiang-lin Hsin Director-General, 
Central Weather Bureau Taiwan, Republic of China to Patricio 
Bernal, Executive Secretary, IOC:  Dear Dr. Bernal, we 
regret it very much that we could not participate in "the 
international coordination meeting for the development of a 
tsunami warning and mitigation system for the Indian ocean 
 
SIPDIS 
within a global framework" held in Paris, 3-8 March .. 
According to the communiqu of this meeting, we are 
encouraged again to express our aspirations to join in the 
second international coordination meeting at Port Louis, 
republic of Mauritius on 14-16 April and contribute our 
capacity to the proposed tsunami warning and mitigation 
system to the global community.   As mentioned in our 
previous mail, the central weather bureau (CWB) in Taiwan 
has been developing the "earthquake early warning system" 
since 2003 with high expectations of tremendously reducing 
the report time and issuing an early warning within 30 
seconds by 2009 when any large inland or offshore earthquake 
occurs.  Furthermore, in cooperation with the U.S. 
University of South California, the CWB is currently 
planning on installing dart buoys in our eastern territorial 
waters to detect and assess tsunami activities.  Since 
Taiwan has suffered from high frequency of earthquakes and 
several disastrous tsunami events as well in the past, we 
will be continuously endeavoring to relevant hazard 
mitigation measures and research work.   Although Taiwan is 
not one of the member states of IOC, we, again, would like 
to provide all the experience of our hazard prevention and 
mitigation regime and available resources on expertise, 
facilities as well as technical support to any of the 
world's area concerned.  The global community is now 
suffering from an unprecedented catastrophe, any enhanced 
action of international coordination and cooperation should 
take first place.  We wish that all the global people can 
enjoy a living in real peace and safety.  Your careful 
consideration and cordial assistance will be greatly 
appreciated.    Sincerely yours, Chiang-lin Hsin.  End text 
of letter. 
 
Oliver