US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4124

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 004124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ASEC, TW 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN ASSERTS IT HAS NO PLANS TO ENGAGE SUDAN 
 
REF: TAIPEI 04089 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Doug Paal, Reason 1.4 (b/d) 
 
1. (C) In light of the PRC's efforts to expand business ties 
and promote energy deals in Sudan, AIT consulted Taiwan 
National Security Council (NSC), Presidential Office, 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and Chinese Petroleum 
Corporation (CPC) officials about Taipei's own policies and 
activities in Sudan.  Khartoum has diplomatic relations with 
Beijing and does not have an official or unofficial presence 
in Taipei.  Taiwan MOFA African Affairs Deputy 
Director-General Jacques Wu told AIT that Foreign Minister 
Mark Chen visited Chad, which borders Sudan, in June to 
discuss energy ties, but he insisted Chen did not visit Sudan 
and that there are no Taiwan government plans to engage Sudan 
diplomatically to counter Beijing's growing ties with 
Khartoum. 
 
2. (C) Taiwan NSC Senior Advisor Connie Yang and Presidential 
Office Deputy Secretary-General James Huang explained to AIT 
that Khartoum is too politically controversial, has a poor 
human rights record, and is not the type of government the 
Chen Shui-bian administration wants to engage in the 
international community.  Yang also noted that Taipei, as 
part of its new foreign policy strategy, is seeking to reach 
out to more "legitimate" governments and that the USG would 
likely oppose any Taiwan involvement in Sudan. 
 
3. (C) CPC Exploration and Production Division Chief Patrick 
Yu acknowledged that the PRC is very active in Sudan, but 
added that Khartoum is too politically unstable and risky for 
CPC to partake in any petroleum ventures there.  Yu did admit 
that CPC officials were recently approached by overseas 
Chinese businessmen based in Sudan, who claimed to have 
contacts in the government and offered to broker favorable 
petroleum deals for Taipei.  However, Yu said that CPC turned 
down their offer. 
 
4. (C) Comment: While government officials deny that Taiwan 
is active in Sudan, in the wake of Taipei's new policy to 
counter the PRC's campaign to secure energy resources in 
Africa and the Middle East (reftel), we cannot categorically 
state that Taiwan will not seek to establish a discreet 
relationship with Sudan to pursue economic cooperation.  AIT 
will continue to pursue this during our meetings with 
government officials.  End comment. 
PAAL