US reportedly seeking Taiwan assistance in Afghanistan

The United States has asked Taiwan to provide non-military aid to US troops in Afghanistan, a newspaper said on Sunday, dpa reported.

   The China Times daily quoted an unnamed military source as saying that the US had - through unofficial channels - asked Taipei to give non-military assistance to US troops in Afghanistan.

   Washington wants Taiwan to provide medical or engineering assistance to US forces - which are to be increased - in Afghanistan, the source said.

   The source did not say whether Taipei has accepted the request.

   A National Security Council official refused to confirm or deny the newspaper report.

   Taiwan does not have diplomatic ties with the US or Afghanistan, but has close unofficial ties with the US and is one of the leading donor nations for Afghanistan's reconstruction.

   Taiwan, which is recognized by only 23 countries, has been seeking greater participation in international activities to break its diplomatic isolation.

   In 2002, Taiwan provided a passenger aircraft to fly Hamid Kazai, then the interim Afghan president, from Kabul to Tokyo to attend the International Conference on Assistance to Afghanistan, the China Times said.

   Kaizai was Afghanistan's interim president from 2002-04. He was elected president in 2004 and won re-election in August 2009.

   Taiwan has never acknowledged flying Karzai to Japan for fear of reprisal from Afghan Taliban, the newspaper said.