US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2574

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 002574 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DS/IP/EAP, S/CT, EAP/TC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2030 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, TW, Counterterrorism/Nonproliferation 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S NEW COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORTS 
 
Classified By: Harry Raymond Smith, RSO, American Institute 
in Taiwan. Reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1.    (C) Summary: The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) 
Regional Security Officer (RSO) met with a member of Taiwan's 
newly formed Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) to discuss 
potential training and program participation on 
counter-terrorism initiatives.  The structure and function of 
the Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) within the Executive Yuan 
was discussed, to include budget issues and the breakdown of 
the participating Ministries.  The CTO queried the RSO on 
different avenues of training, policy formulation and support 
that might be available in the U.S.  End Summary. 
 
2.    (C) The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Regional 
Security Officer (RSO) met with CHIU, Tai-chin, a member of 
Taiwan's newly formed Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) to 
discuss potential training and program participation on 
counter-terrorism initiatives.  The purpose of the meeting 
was for the RSO to deliver news concerning AIT,s nomination 
of Dr. KUO, Lin-wu, to participate in a proposed FY-2006 
International Visitor Program on U.S. Foreign Policy and 
Counter-terrorism, set for March of 2006.  KUO is expected to 
accept officially the program nomination once formal program 
preparations are announced.  The program focus - to promote 
an understanding of U.S. foreign policy on counter-terrorism, 
to review efforts to increase security of international goods 
and people and to examine efforts to combat terrorism and 
terrorist financing - are all topics of critical importance 
to Taiwan and the CTO to capitalize on its efforts to 
establish and maintain this counter-terrorism initiative. 
 
3.    (C) During the meeting, Chiu reviewed the structure and 
function of the Counter-Terrorism Office (CTO) within the 
Executive Yuan (EY), to include budget issues and the 
breakdown of the participating Ministries. CHIU stressed that 
the budget for the CTO is "very generous" and the CTO is 
looking for efforts to gather any and all types of training 
on the counter-terrorism front, to include reaching out to 
Japan. He also provided a clearer description of the CTO, its 
structure and function within the Executive Yuan. CHIU stated 
that in June 2004 when the Legislative Yuan passed a bill 
calling for reorganization of the Taiwan government, a 
counter-terrorism steering committee was formed in November 
2004, and chaired by the Premier to discuss Taiwan's 
counter-terrorism efforts. The committee recommended the 
formation of the CTO in December 2004 and it was officially 
started January 10, 2005.  CHIU indicated that while the 
government reorganization was slated to take place in January 
of 2006, it is unlikely to happen. As a result, the Secretary 
General of the EY instructed the CTO to broaden their focus 
from just counter-terrorism issues and plan for the 
integration of crisis management and disaster preparedness. 
CHIU opined that when the reorganization does take place, the 
EY will create a new ministry entitled Ministry of Interior 
and Homeland Affairs. CHIU indicated that the CTO as it 
exists in the EY would be a substantial member of this 
proposed ministry and take over counter-terrorism, disaster 
preparedness and relief, crisis management and organized 
crime issues. Currently the Disaster Prevention and Response 
Commission, a lower level commission within the fire and 
police departments handles crisis management and disaster 
preparedness. CHIU indicated that the CTO was preparing 
itself to take over these efforts eventually, thus the need 
to broaden their focus. 
 
4.    (C) CHIU provided the RSO with a detailed breakdown of 
the CTO,s structure and some of the issues they have 
discussed and intend to address. The CTO is composed of a 
head Coordinator, a Deputy Coordinator, nine working level 
Coordinators and four research fellows. The current head and 
Coordinator of the CTO is Dr. KUO, Lin-wu.  KUO was chosen to 
head this office based on his current position within the 
President's office as a policy advisor for the President. 
CHIU indicted that the Coordinator position is rated within 
the Taiwan government at "level 14", which he described as a 
Vice Minister level.  CHIU indicated that while KUO is the 
designated Coordinator, he still spends a great deal of his 
time as policy advisor to the President.  The Deputy 
Coordinator of the CTO is currently HUANG, Zhen-feng, who has 
reportedly worked with the current and past Secretaries 
General of the EY and is primarily tasked with intra-agency 
coordination. The working level consists of nine coordinators 
all described at "level 11" within the Taiwan government and 
all with specific connections to other agencies or 
ministries.  The nine coordinators are representatives of: 
Department of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Scientific Advisory Commission, Commerce/Transportation 
Ministry, Ministry of Interior (including National Police 
Agency), Atomic Energy Commission, National Security Bureau 
(includes all intelligence functions), Ministry of Defense 
and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The CTO is rounded out 
by four research fellows who were described as former 
Ministry of Defense personnel, think tank individuals and 
members from the DPP office. 
 
5.    (C) CHIU said he was convinced that the CTO needs any 
and all types of training to help develop the office, its 
staff members and prepare for a potential counter-terrorism 
issue, crisis management or a natural disaster.  CHIU stated 
that a recent exercise in April 2005 dealt with 
bio-terrorism, cyber-terrorism, a toxic spill, a critical 
infrastructure failure and a hostage taking exercise.  He 
described the exercise as one mired in communication and 
coordination problems and suggested some training might be 
needed. He submitted a training proposal for members of the 
CTO to participate in a course on Comprehensive Security 
Responses to Terrorism (CSRT) to be held at the Asia Pacific 
Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Hawaii in August 2005. 
 The course is designed to provide designated states and 
countries the operational and strategic-level skills 
necessary to enhance their ability to combat terrorism and to 
cooperate with other regional nations.  The CTO requests 
support from AIT.  Further, CHIU requested consideration from 
AIT for Secretary General Y.Y. Lee of the EY to lead a five 
to six person team to the U.S. in August 2005 to visit the 
Department of Homeland Security and review its structure, 
development and staffing in hopes of preparing the CTO on its 
initiative to form a more responsive office to combat 
terrorism and respond to a crisis. 
 
6.   (C) EY Secretary General Y.Y. Lee told AIT separately 
that he has decided to merge the CTO and the Disaster 
Prevention and Response Commission into an EY Office of 
Homeland Security, reporting to the Premier and headed by CTO 
Director Kuo.  Lee said that the current EY crisis management 
function is geared exclusively towards natural disasters, and 
lacks the ability to integrate into the national security 
apparatus in response to a major man-made incident.  Lee told 
AIT that he plans to lead a delegation, together with Kuo, to 
Washington in mid-August to learn how the U.S. Department of 
Homeland Security integrates organizations like FEMA with 
offices that deal with border security and response to 
terrorist attacks.  Kuo explained to AIT that Lee,s plan 
would create a precursor to the planned Ministry of Homeland 
Security (MHS), which is scheduled to be stood up in the 
2006-2007 time frame (depending on when the EY proposal is 
approved by the LY).  Kuo said that when the MHS is created, 
the proposed Homeland Security Office will become a 
bureau-level MHS organization charged with crisis management. 
 
 
7.   (C) Comments: With many new governmental initiatives 
there are sometimes unnecessary or redundant requests for 
training and support.  Taiwan seems to be moving ahead with 
this CT initiative in a positive manner.  A significant 
element of AIT's MPP is centered on providing Taiwan with 
anti-terrorism training and supporting their advancement on 
the counter-terrorism front.  Until recently, those efforts 
were hampered by their inability to coordinate or structure 
an operational office.  It would appear now that this is the 
first step in what is hoped to be a true and comprehensive 
effort to strategically plan for counter-terrorism concerns, 
as well as take on the additional crisis management functions 
and disaster preparedness issues.  AIT will continue to watch 
the efforts of the CTO and work toward common goals on the 
counter-terrorism front. 
PAAL