WikiLeaks has released the first of its 3,456 diplomatic cables from the American Institute in Taiwan, the defacto U.S. embassy. The unclassified cable from Taipei to Washington went to the State Department and the Department of Energy.
Marked “Sensitive” and “For Official Use Only” the document was created August 13, 2009, and concerns monthly export control reports. The cable discusses a July 21, 2009 meeting with Lin Sheng-Chung, the vice-minister of the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs.
According to the WikiLeaks cable, “currently, Taiwan lags far behind places likes [sic] Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea, in the way export controls is managed.”
The cable added: “Lin also expressed certain views with regard to the on-going US-Taiwan bilateral cooperation. These views will be sent via email to appropriate offices in DC.”
The cable continues with the description of a meeting with Professor Liu Fu-Kuo of the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University, “to get a read-out on the WMD [Weapons of Mass Destruction] Study Group Meeting of the Council on Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) that took place in Beijing on June 28-30.”
A meeting with security chief Chang Chih-Yu on export controls is also discussed: “Director Chang stated that export controls is not Taiwan’s top priority. Additionally, few high-level officials truly understand what export controls is and how the management of it affects Taiwan’s international standing. Currently, Taiwan simply follow the footsteps of the US.”
“Director Chang agreed that export control issues need to be elevated to a higher level and stated he would bring up the issue during his weekly meeting with Taiwan’s Premier.”
The WikiLeaks document indicated there were no “red flag” issues and indicated two Blue Lantern checks were conducted. Blue Lantern checks by the State Department review commercial sales for items on a restricted munitions list. A similar check is conducted by the Defense Department called Golden Sentry for government-to-government military sales.
Blue Lantern checks are voluntary, non-enforcement reviews that can facilitate technology transfers. Blue Lantern reviews are conducted on a random basis. The results of the two checks mentioned in the cable are not disclosed.
WikiLeaks has not published a schedule of future AIT releases so those anxious to peer inside the AIT must continue watching and waiting for developments.
Source: Michael Richardson - Boston Progressive Examiner
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