Ludwig D. Keke, the first ambassador to the ROC (Taiwan) from the Republic of Nauru, on March 7 presented his credentials to President Chen Shui-bian.
After receiving Ambassador Keke's credentials, President Chen offered a warm welcome on behalf of the ROC (Taiwan) government and people as Ambassador Keke assumes his new post.
President Chen said that he met Ambassador Keke for the first time on February 5 when he welcomed Nauru President Ludwig Scotty and his wife, on a visit to Taiwan at the time, at a luncheon. The president said he is delighted that Ambassador Keke is now able to formally assume his post. Ambassador Keke is a senior politician and an outstanding diplomat. He is also the most senior member of Nauru's Parliament. He previously served as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, as well as being a high level envoy to Fiji. President Chen said that there could be no better selection than Ambassador Keke to serve as the representative of the people of Nauru and President Scotty in Taipei.
President Chen said that the ROC (Taiwan) and Nauru have a long history of diplomatic relations, with formal ties first established in 1980. While diplomatic relations were severed in July 2002, there was a resumption of formal ties on May 14, 2005. President Chen expressed his thanks to President Scotty for his wise decision in this regard. President Chen recalled that he first met President Scotty in early May 2005 when they both attended national day ceremonies in the Marshall Islands. He said he had pleasant discussions with President Scotty at the time. Shortly thereafter, the two countries resumed diplomatic relations.
President Chen also expressed his appreciation for remarks made by Nauru's Parliament Speaker and President Scotty at the 2005 United Nations World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments and World Summit calling for Taiwan's participation in the UN. The president added that the leaders of the two countries made visits to the other in 2006. President Scotty and his wife made a state visit to Taiwan in the first half of the year. In the second half of the year, President Chen attended The First Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit in Palau, after which he formally led a delegation to Nauru. This marked the first visit to Nauru by an ROC (Taiwan) president. President Chen said that relations between the two nations have become even stronger this year as Nauru has formally established an embassy in Taiwan and Ambassador Keke has taken office. President Chen added that he hopes relations between the two nations will become even stronger in the future based on their existing foundation. He said he expects more exchanges and cooperation will be carried out, and expressed his confidence that assistance provided to Nauru will help it become self-sufficient in farming and fishing.