New York, Feb. 16 (CNA) A Clinton administration official said on Wednesday that the United States has not ruled out the possibility of deploying the theater missile defense (TMD) system in Taiwan.
John D. Holum, a State Department senior adviser for arms control and international security, made the remarks during a news briefing at the New York Foreign News Center on US progress in arms control and prevention of nuclear proliferation.
Responding to an inquiry from the Central News Agency concerning Taiwan's interest in joining the TMD system, Holum first explained that TMD is basically an installation against missile attacks and is not a nuclear weapon.
Holum added that although TMD is still in the research and development stage, Taiwan has expressed interest in this sophisticated anti-missile system.
Noting that TMD may not be ready for deployment until 2007, Holum said there are still many issues to be considered regarding Taiwan's participation in the project, such as mainland China's missile deployment against Taiwan, military buildup and other actions.
Holum did, however, state that the United States has not ruled out the possibility of including Taiwan in the TMD system which focuses on intercepting high-altitude missiles. "We have not ruled that out," he said.
Holum, who has been nominated for the position of undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, also noted that Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott is heading a high-profile delegation to visit mainland China this week.
According to Holum, the US delegation is composed of senior officials from the Department of Defense, National Security Council and Joint Chiefs of Staff. The US delegates are expected to discuss issues related to arms control and prevention of nuclear proliferation with mainland officials during their visit. (By K.C. Huang and Sofia Wu)
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