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DELEGATION TO U.S. OVER REFERENDUM ISSUE PUT ON HOLD

2004-01-09 17:25:10

    Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) A delegation originally scheduled to depart for the United States this weekend to explain a planned referendum has been put on hold, Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Joseph Wu said Friday.

    Wu, who was to have led the delegation, said that Taiwan and the United States have recently communicated with each other closely and he added that the major purpose of the delegation was to explain to the media and think tank scholars the referendum scheduled to coincide with the March 20 presidential election. The referendum will gauge Taiwan public opinion as to whether mainland China should withdraw its missiles targeting Taiwan and aims to strengthen democracy in Taiwan.

    But Wu noted that 21 delegations from the United States have arrived in Taiwan recently. As there have already been discussions with these delegations about the issue, Wu said the National Security Council (NSC) , which coordinated the trip, reassessed whether the trip was necessary. "As a matter of fact, Taiwan and the U.S. have had close communications recently and they have been effective, " Wu said, quoting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell as an example. "Oh, he's hearing, " Powell said Thursday at a press conference when asked if President Chen Shui-bian had got the U.S. message of concern over his planned referendum. "The message was heard and received. And we will see how Taiwan works through the referendum idea a little later on in the spring. But I think we've handled this very well," Powell said.

    Wu said that U.S. State Department senior officials have explained that the U.S. will have no opinion on a referendum on public policy, but will oppose any referendum on independence.

    Taiwan has let the United States know clearly that it will not hold a referendum on independence vs. unification, Wu said.

    In addition, the United States also realizes that the U.S. government would be asked questions if the Taiwan delegation were to attract too much publicity, he went on, adding that the United States knows the general picture of the referendum but not the details, and is concerned that any statement it makes will not meet Taiwan's expectations.

    He also pointed out that the delegation had not arranged to meet any U.S. government officials, adding that with the run-up to the Taiwan presidential election, any statements by U.S. officials could be spun by rival political camps to their own favor.

    The NSC decided to put the delegation to the United States on hold after cautious assessment upon deciding that "low-profile diplomatic communications will achieve the best results," Wu said.

    Wu would not respond directly to questions as to when the delegation might depart for the United States, saying only that it will not be possible until there is a new situation, and that when "the referendum agenda comes out" would be one of these new situations.

    Other delegations bound for Europe and the Asia-Pacific region for the same purpose will go ahead as scheduled, Wu added.

    Sources said that pro-Taiwan U.S. figures have suggested that if Taiwan comes out with a referendum agenda, communication with the United States will be more effective.

    Wu said that the goal the government wants to work toward is that the United States will not only "not oppose, " but will "support" Taiwan's referendum.

(By Lilian Wu)

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