Is The U.S. Abandoning The Defense Responsibilities For Taiwan?

[Leigh Meyers <leighcmeyers@xxxxxxxxx>]

The mainland must have sweatier sweatshops...

> A former Pentagon official is quoted as saying that this year's 
> Monterey Talks lacked substance, adding that "the [US'] level of 
> interest in Taiwan has diminished."
.
Published on TaipeiTimes
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/07/05/2003317335

Monterey talks in US inconclusive

(they were held at a secure location in Quantico, Virginia//Leigh [snigger])

GET-TOGETHER: The discussions are the highest-level annual meeting 
between US and Taiwanese officials but this year's gathering in Virginia 
reportedly lacked substance

By Nadia Tsao
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON

Wednesday, Jul 05, 2006,Page 3

US and Taiwanese officials failed to make headway on important issues in 
a top-level meeting last week, reflecting a cooling in US-Taiwan 
relations, Defense News reported on Monday.
The US weekly reported that senior US and Taiwanese officials met last 
week in Quantico, Virginia, to discuss such issues as Taiwan's offensive 
ballistic missile program, future arms sales, training programs and the 
US arms package currently stalled in Legislative Yuan.

The discussions, known as the "Monterey Talks," are the highest-level 
annual meeting between US and Taiwanese officials, according to the report.

A former Pentagon official is quoted as saying that this year's Monterey 
Talks lacked substance, adding that "the [US'] level of interest in 
Taiwan has diminished."

"Some in the [US Department of Defense] are said to have written off 
Taiwan in its [the US'] longer-term planning in dealing with China as a 
strategic competitor," the former official is quoted as saying.

The unsuccessful meeting could be one more sign that Washington is 
drawing away from Taipei to curry favor with Beijing, the report added.

"The [US'] level of interest in Taiwan has diminished."

a former Pentagon official quoted by the Defense News

The recent visit to China by Admiral William Fallon, the commander in 
chief of the US Pacific Command, and the presence of People's Liberation 
Army officials at the US "Valiant Shield" military exercises off of Guam 
last month are cited in the report as events that, observers say, may 
signal a shift in the US' position regarding Taiwan.

When asked to comment on the Defense News report, Ministry of National 
Defense Spokesman Rear Admiral Wu Chi-fang (ÂdÂuÂÃ) had little to say.

"I hope that you understand that first of all, I do not think we can 
comment on this meeting because it was a meeting that concerns the US' 
national security," Wu said.

He said that the meeting used to be opened to the public, but starting 
two years ago, it became a closed-door meeting.

Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang



More on this topic:
US defense official says the nation's defense is on track
By Nadia Tsao
STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
Friday, Jul 07, 2006,Page 1
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/07/07/2003317653


Leigh
http://leighm.net/