Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

U.S. MAINTAINS STANCE ON ANTI-SECESSION LAW: CABINET SPOKESMAN

ROC Central News Agency

2005-03-21 20:25:32

    Taipei, March 21 (CNA) The United States has clearly expressed its stance on China's Anti-Secession Law targeting Taiwan, and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to China has not moved away from that position, a spokesman for the Executive Yuan said Monday.

    Cho Jung-tai made the remarks when he was asked whether Rice weakened the U.S. position on the newly passed law during her visit to China.

    Rice said in a press conference in Beijing earlier that day that the U.S. hopes that both sides of the Taiwan Strait will not take unilateral action to change the status quo or raise cross-strait tension and that China will use peaceful means to resolve cross-strait disputes.

    Cho stressed that the U.S. State Department said March 14 that the passage of the law was "unfortunate" and that "it really does not serve the cause of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

    Cho said that Rice's remarks in Beijing have not been any more conservative or stronger that those expressed in the past.

    He said that the U.S. stance is clear, that Taiwan has also clearly stated its position and that it now remains to be seen whether or not the Beijing authorities understand this.

    Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) also said Rice's remarks have not veered away from the basic U.S. stance.

    Michel Lu also said that the ministry appreciates Rice's remarks that the legislation of the new law is "not a welcome development."

(By Lilian Wu)

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