Chen’s visit to Nicaragua uncertain, FM Huang says

Chen is planning to leave Taipei for Managua on Monday to attend the inauguration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Wednesday. On his way to Nicaragua, he hopes to stop over at a U.S. city.

“No final decisions have been made,” Huang stressed.

When the decisions are made, Huang said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be able to meet any contingencies to make the Nicaraguan visit possible.

China is protesting to the United States. Beijing warned Washington yesterday against allowing President Chen to transit during a trip to Nicaragua.

That has made the foreign minister hesitate to announce the president’s visit.

But Huang has to make the decisions known by Sunday night.

He said President Chen may decide to make the visit himself or assign a special envoy to congratulate Ortega on his behalf.

“Whatever the president decides,” Huang said, “we are well prepared to cope with all contingencies.”

Despite the Chinese warning, Washington seems willing to let the president lay over in an American city. Chen may be allowed to make a transit stopover at Miami, according to local press reports.

Asked to comment on Chen’s trip to Nicaragua, Sean McCormack, Department of State spokesman, said the U.S. government will process requests from Taipei for President Chen’s transit.

“We look at requests for transit consistent with the safety, convenience and dignity of the traveler,” McCormak was quoted as saying.

Hung Ming-ta, ambassador to Nicaragua, told the official Central News Agency he has not been informed of President Chen’s arrival in Managua.

Ambassador Hung is confident that Nicaragua will continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, though Ortega vowed to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing in the run-up to the presidential election.

“The government and the people of Nicaragua are satisfied with existing agricultural and medical cooperation projects between the two countries,” Hung said.

Taiwan businesses have invested US$270 million in Nicaragua and created more than 30,000 jobs for in the central American country since Taipei and Managua restored diplomatic relations in 1990.