PRESSER: MANDELA & TAIWANESE FOREIGN MINISTER CHANG re: Relations of the highest level will be maintained, short of Diplomatic relations which will be severed end 1997

Record ID: 893486

  • Title: PRESSER: MANDELA & TAIWANESE FOREIGN MINISTER CHANG re: Relations of the highest level will be maintained, short of Diplomatic relations which will be severed end 1997
  • Date: 4th December 1996
  • Summary: PRESSER: MANDELA & TAIWANESE FOREIGN MINISTER CHANG re: Relations of the highest level will be maintained, short of Diplomatic relations which will be severed end 1997
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  • City: PRETORIA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: 96DEC04R01
  • Story Text:PRESSER AT UNION BUILDINGS MANDELA WITH TAIWANESE FOREIGN MINISTER CHANG re: Suspension of diplomatic relations with Taiwan

    00.33.52 EXTERIORS UNION BUILDINGS
    00.34.32 CUTAWAYS PRESS
    00.35.09 MANDELA & CHANG COMING OUT
    00.35.41 MANDELA: ...as you are aware we have announced that at the end of next year, we will sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan...this is a matter that has created a great deal of shock & disappointment on the part of the President, the government & people of Taiwan and I assured the Minister here, that I fully understand that sense of shock
    00.36.27 and disapointment...I have agonized over this decision because I knew precisely what it would mean to the gov & the people of that country, but there comes a time where a man in the interests of his own country has to take adecision which hurst a very close friend.
    00.37.03 This decision has hurt them very badly indeed, but we had very good discussion with with him because in spite of the decision that I've taken, we are going to maintain relations on the highest level short of diplomatic relations and I am sure that there is a will on our part, there is a will on the part of the gov & the people of Taiwan to ensure that the good relations that we have established continue, other than diplomatic relations.
    00.37.58 MINISTER CHANG: ...great pleasure & honour to be given the opportunity...long discussion....about our future relationship after the change...
    00.38.32 ...and President mandela has assured me & assured the gov of the Republic of China that at highest level arrangement will be done as a framework for our future relationship and the talk will be continued between the 2 governments in the forthcoming 12 months
    00.39.00 ...the people & the government of the Republic of China, behind the reasons behind the very difficult & painful decision Pres Mandela has made and the future ties with the republic of China, and we appreciate the bilateral relationships existing between our two countries and we believe that we can work out a kind of formula of our future relationship which will serve interests of both sides in the future.
    00.39.41 WIDE ESTABLISHER
    00.39.54 MANDELA: I wouldn't like us to go into details because there is going to be a committee...representing Taiwan & SA...
    00.40.13 ...all that I wanted to make clear here today, is that the end of next year then diplomatic relations will be severed...
    00.40.40 ...[ANGRY] I'm not going to answer it again. I had a press conference in which that very question was asked - if you are not aware of the answer no useful purpose is ggoing to be served by me giving that answer again. As a journalist I would have expected you not to pester me with questions I have already answered. [PRESS FUNNIES]
    00.41.08 ...I've already answered that quesion, that we are going to maintain relations at the highest level, short of diplomatic relations...
    00.41.28 CHANG:...in the future our relationship will be maintained at the highest level, the kind of formula will be worked out by both sides. We need more negotiations & talks & discussions on how to arrange the new situation, the new relationship...
    00.42.06 ...if or not we were to have Consulates or Consulate Generls, I think they are still to be meant to be further discussed.
    00.42.20 MANDELA: I would like to discuss our relations with Beijing, here...it is sufficient to say that we are now establishing diplomatic relations with the peoples Republic of China. We are not going to interfere in the relations between beijing and Taipei. That is for these 2 countries to determine.
    00.42.59 If we cancel diplomatic relations with taiwan, there is no question of dual recognition.
    00.43.17 ...I don't want to put labels; the position is quite simple...
    00.43.25 ...we are recognizing Beijing. I don't see room for your question...
    00.43.41 CUTAWAYS PRESS
    00.44.40 WIDE ESTABLISHER
    00.45.42 CUTAWAYS
    00.46.20 EXTREME WIDE PRESS
    00.47.07 CHANG SPEAKING IN CHINESE
    00.48.30 MANDELA: ..we value the friendship that we have with Taiwan...
    00.50.38 CUTAWAY
    00.51.20 PRESS LAUGHING
    00.51.42 MANDELA LEAVING
    00.51.51 END PRESSER
    00.53.38 CHANG COMMENTING FURTHER IN CHINESE
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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