National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Su Chi (蘇起) admitted in a recent interview with a political talk show host that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) did consult the council prior to sending a cable to all overseas representative offices and embassies instructing them to reject foreign aid in the early days after Typhoon Morakot struck.
However, Su said he did not know about the document because the phone call was answered by office manager Huang Chien-liang (黃健良). Su made the comments in an interview on Thursday with Lee Tao (李濤), the host of TVBS’ talk show 2100 Quan Min Kai Jiang.
The foreign ministry has been heavily criticized for rejecting foreign help. Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊) was away on business when the cable was issued. On Aug. 17, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Hsia (夏立言) tendered his resignation to take responsibility for declining international assistance.
On Thursday, Ou also offered to step down. On the same day, in the talk show interview with Lee, Su acknowledged that MOFA contacted the NSC, but insisted that it was Huang who spoke to the ministry.
Some critics have accused Su of being the real culprit behind the document. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said any important communication, such as those regarding foreign aid, must obtain approval from high-ranking government official.
MOFA did not have the right or the audacity to issue this kind of cable on its own, said Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), former Presidential Official deputy secretary-general under the DPP government.
The DPP has repeatedly called on Su to disclose the details of the communication between the NSC and MOFA during those days.
Su, however, has maintained that he had nothing to do with the document.
DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) lambasted Su and the government, saying they had told multiple lies to cover their mistakes. He said all evidence pointed to Su as the man behind the cable.
Tsai said Hsia took the fall for the Presidential Office and Executive Yuan. Ou even blamed the National Fire Agency, he said.
The DPP also said the day after the cable was issued, Su met with the upper management of the China Times for a meal. The DPP accused Su of taking the opportunity to develop rapport with China.
Su’s staffer confirmed the rendezvous, but refused to disclose any details of the meeting
Tsai said MOFA issued the cable, categorized as “extremely urgent,” on Aug. 11. The following day, news of the cable spread all over the Internet, but the ministry continued to deny its existence until a newspaper published the document.
Tsai called the government a pathological liar and said someone as cold-hearted and arrogant as Su should have stepped down long ago.
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