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TAIWAN REGRETS FRENCH PRESIDENT'S OPPOSITION TO '320' REFERENDUM

2004-01-27 14:58:48

    Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) The Cabinet expressed regret Tuesday over French President Jacques Chirac's disapproving comment on Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on mainland China's missile threat to coincide with the island's March 20 presidential election. "It is regrettable that Chirac has issued an unfavorable statement on our referendum plan, " Cabinet spokesman Lin Chia-lung said.

    Chirac said during a Monday meeting with visiting mainland Chinese President Hu Jintao that France opposes Taiwan independence and that Taiwan's March 20 "320" referendum is "a wrong decision" which could affect regional stability.

    Lin reminded Chirac and the French government of the late French President Charles de Gaulle's efforts to promote a referendum 40 years ago. At that time, Lin said, de Gaulle's referendum drive was criticized as an attempt to carry out a "coup." "Nowadays, the referendum has taken root in France as an integral part of the country's democratic system, " Lin said, adding that this development has proved the correctness of de Gaulle's decision four decades ago.

    Noting that holding a referendum on mainland China's military threat is part of the Republic of China government's efforts to safeguard Taiwan's young democracy, Lin said mainland China is the true opponent of Taiwan's referendum plan.

    Lin further said Beijing's repeated intimidation of Taiwan over the referendum issue and its pressure on other countries to oppose Taiwan's referendum plan have served to highlight the necessity and urgency of Taiwan holding a referendum. "We strongly protest mainland China's unwarranted interference with our referendum plan, " Lin said, adding that the government's determination to hold the nation's first-ever referendum on March 20 will remain unchanged.

    On Jan. 16, President Chen Shui-bian unveiled the two questions to be put forward in the "320" referendum -- namely, whether Taiwan should strengthen its anti-missile defense system in the face of mainland China's missile threat, and whether the government should negotiate with Beijing to establish a mechanism for cross-strait interaction.

(By Sofia Wu)

enditem/Li