'3rd country' assured U.S. of sub assistance

A "third country" had assured the United States it would provide the necessary assistance to help fulfill President Bush's pledge to sell Taiwan eight modern diesel-electric submarines as part of this year's arms deal, according to published reports.

Agence France-Presse reported yesterday that the promised assistance of a third country, which was not named, influenced Bush's decision to sell to Taipei submarines the U.S. does not currently build.

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AFP said the Bush administration had those assurances before officials informed Taiwan of the president's decision. Taiwanese military officials were told of the assurance last month at a meeting in Washington, D.C.

Citing a Taiwanese newspaper report, AFP said the Pentagon is also planning to hold submarine-rescue training with Taiwan "on a regular basis in the future."

Two of the world's leading diesel sub makers -- Germany and the Netherlands -- stated publicly after Bush's mid-April Taiwanese arms sale decision that they would not supply blueprints of their vessels to U.S. shipbuilders.

Ingalls Shipbuilding was the most likely firm to get any diesel submarine contract for Taiwan, WorldNetDaily reported April 19.

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Australian navy submarine HMAS Collins.

Several U.S. allies have the capability of building diesel submarines. Britain and Italy -- both NATO members -- make diesel-electric subs, as does Australia.

On Wednesday, Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian, called on Germany to supply its design to Taiwan's China Shipbuilding Corp., so Taipei could build them instead.

"I hope Germany would provide the design, and with the U.S. technical assistance, all eight submarines could be built in Taiwan," Chen told a visiting German parliamentary delegation.

Taiwan's navy currently has only four submarines, two of which are World War II-era Guppy-class boats. The other two were built by a Dutch company before The Netherlands changed its policy and began to diplomatically recognize only mainland China.

Beijing, meanwhile, has a substantial number of submarines. Most are obsolete, but China has been buying Russian-made Kilo-class diesel subs -- among the world's most quiet -- and has been building its own ballistic-missile submarines, as well.

Taiwanese military leaders fear China could use its huge submarine advantage to blockade Taiwanese ports in times of crisis.

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