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TAIWAN SINCERE ABOUT DISCUSSING REFERENDUM ISSUE WITH OTHER NATIONS

2003-12-30 14:49:09

    Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Taiwan is sincere in its willingness to communicate with the United States, Japan, and even rival mainland China on the referendum issue, the Presidential Office spokesman said Tuesday.

    James Huang, director-general of the Presidential Office's Department of Public Affairs, said that although holding referendums is a norm in a democracy, the government is still glad to talk about the issue with governments of other countries that have expressed concerns about Taiwan's plans to hold a "defensive referendum."

    Huang said that many nations have for decades held referendums to allow their citizens to decide on major issues related to their interests, and that the United States has held referendums for more than 100 years.

    Some foreign governments may have misread Taiwan's plans to hold a "defensive referendum" because firstly, it is a new thing for Taiwan, and secondly, these governments have not fully understood the essence of the issue, Huang added.

    Huang stressed that closer nation-to-nation communication is crucial for clearing up any misunderstandings on issues such as Taiwan's holding of referendums.

    Huang made the remarks in light of reports that U.S. President George W. Bush has expressed disapproval with President Chen Shui-bian's intention of holding a "defensive referendum" to allow the people of Taiwan to voice their opposition to mainland China's deployment of missiles aimed at Taiwan.

    Reports have also said that Katsuhisa Uchida, director of the Interchange Association, Taipei Office -- the de facto Japanese embassy in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries -- expressed concerns during a rendezvous with Presidential Office Secretary-Genenal Chiou I-jen recently over Chen's plan to organize a "defensive referendum."

    Uchida was quoted as having said to Chiou that Japan hopes Taiwan exercise prudence in handling the referendum issue.

(By Deborah Kuo)

ENDITEM/Li