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ARMS PURCHASE BUDGET BILL MUST BE ACTED ON BEFORE AUGUST: SPEAKER

Central News Agency

2005-05-02 23:19:50

    Taipei, May 2 (CNA) The legislature has to deal with the NT$480 billion (US$15.48 billion) budget bill for an arms purchase from the United States at a extraordinary session between July and August to address Washington's concerns, Wang Jin-pyng, president of the Legislative Yuan said Monday.

    In a chat with journalists, the speaker said two former U.S. defense officials working for the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, D.C., went to see him on April 22, calling on Taiwan to show its willingness to defend itself by taking the U.S. offer of arms.

    The legislature has to do something on the budget bill before August in light of the fact that all political parties are gearing up for the election of National Assembly member on May 14 and the ensuing revision of the Constitution before July.

    The budget bill has been mired in the legislature because of the price asked for by the United States and the controversy among different parties over whether or not the budget should be prepared as a special one separate from the government's general budget.

(By Maubo Chang)

ENDITEM/mw