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DATE=7/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251773
TITLE=U-S/CHINA-TAIWAN ( L ONLY )
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:   AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT MET TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WITH TAIWAN'S
PRESIDENT LEE TENG HUI TO GET CLARIFICATION OF WHAT MR. LEE MEANT
BY REMARKS IN AN INTERVIEW WIDELY INTERPRETED AS MOVING TAIWAN 
AWAY FROM ITS ONE CHINA POLICY.   V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER REPORTS THAT
THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS STILL URGING BOTH SIDES TO GO FORWARD 
WITH A CROSSS TRAIT DIALOGUE SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS YEAR.
TEXT:   DARRELL JOHNSON,  DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN 
TAIPEI, MET FOR 40 MINUTES WITH TAIWAN'S PRESIDENT.  THE 
INSTITUTE IS THE UNOFFICIAL BODY THROUGH WHICH THE UNITED STATES 
HAS MAINTAINED ITS RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN SINCE ESTABLISHING 
DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH MAINLAND CHINA.  WHAT MR. JOHNSON WAS 
LOOKING FOR WAS AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI 
MEANT WHEN HE TOLD GERMAN RADIO LAST SATURDAY THAT RELATIONS 
ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAIT ARE NOW STATE TO STATE RELATIONS BETWEEN
TAIWAN AND CHINA.  
THE COMMENTS INFURIATED BEIJING, WHICH TOOK IT AS A STEP TOWARD 
INDEPENDENCE.  CHINA CONCIDERS TAIWAN APROVINCE AND HAS SAID 
WOULD USE FORCE TO PREVENT TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE.  HERE AT THE 
STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAID MR. JOHNSON 
REITERRATED AMERICA'S ONE CHINA POLICY AND RELAYED THE U-S VIEW 
THAT NOT BENEFICIAL FOR EITHER SIDE TO TAKE STEPS THAT MAKE 
HOLDING ACROSS STRAIT DIALOGUE MORE DIFFICULT.
FOR WHAT PRESIDENT LEE TOLD DARRELL JOHNSON, THE STATE DEPARTMENT
SPOKESMAN REFERRED REPORTERS TO THE TAIWAN NEWS AGENCY.
                        /// RUBIN ACT ///
         PRESIDENT LEE REVIEWED WHAT HE HAD SAID IN HIS 
         INTERVIEW.  LET ME POINT OUT THAT THE OFFICIAL TAIWAN 
         CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY COMMENTED AFTER THE MEETNG THAT WHAT
         PRESIDENT LEE SAID TO US (THE UNITED STATES) WAS THAT 
         TAIWAN'S MAINLAND POLICY REMAINS UNCHANGED.
                         /// END ACT ///
AS TO WHETHER THE UNITED STATES WAS SATISFIED, MR. RUBIN SAID TO 
SOME EXTENT THERE WAS A CLARIFICATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE TAIWAN 
NEWS AGENCY ACCOUNT.  THEN HE ADDED,  WHEN THE CROSS STRAIT 
DIALOGUE RESUMES IN THE FALL THAT WILL SATISFY US. MEANWHILE,  
THE SPOKESMAN  REPEATED THAT THE UNITED STATES URGES BOTH PARTIES
TO MAKE NO STATEMENTS AND TAKE NO ACTIONS THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO 
HAVE ADIALOGUE.(SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/PT
14-Jul-99 3:33 PM EDT (1933 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.