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TALKS BETWEEN GOV'TS IN CHINA, TAIWAN NECESSARY: U.S. STATE DEPT

Central News Agency

2005-05-03 16:00:54

    Washington, May 2 (CNA) The U.S. State Department reiterated Monday that dialogue between Beijing and the ROC government is necessary if a long-term resolution of cross-strait problems is to be found, adding that the U.S. has no intention of "manipulating" or "organizing" the process of cross-strait dialogue.

    Declining to comment on any particular Taiwan opposition leaders meetings with Chinese leaders, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that in general, the U.S. welcomes cross-strait exchanges. "Our longstanding policy has been to support dialogue in the interest of achieving a peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences in a manner that is acceptable to people of both sides, " the spokesman also said while responding to a media question raised at a daily briefing regarding Taiwan's opposition leaders visits to China and President Chen Shui-bian's recent remarks that Taiwan is ready to talk with China any time.

    At the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Taiwan's Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan arrived in China April 27 for an eight-day visit, while People First Party Chairman James Soong will go to the mainland May 5 for a visit.

    Nevertheless, Boucher said that the U.S. believes a dialogue between the ruling ROC government and Beijing is necessary. "Of course, a long-term cross-strait solution will require dialogue between representatives of the duly elected leadership in Taiwan and the authorities on the mainland. But we, in the meantime, welcome any sort of exchanges and dialogue. We think it's useful, " the spokesman noted.

    Asked whether Washington has concerns that the cross-strait situation now seems to be directed or dominated by Beijing and whether it feels the need to play a more active role in the matter, Boucher said that the U.S. has encouraged the process of dialogue as well as peaceful exchanges and the holding of talks about all the issues between the two sides of the Strait. "But we have no and nor we do have any particular intention to try to manipulate or organize the process ourselves, " he further said, adding that "this is the matter for them to decide and for them to go forward with."

(By Oliver Lin and P.C. Tang)

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