• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

ARMS PROCUREMENT PROJECT STONEWALLED FOR 28TH TIME

ROC Central News Agency

2005-09-13 16:30:04

    Taipei, Sept. 13 (CNA) The opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan blocked a long-stalled arms procurement package for the 28th time Tuesday, refusing to allow it to be put on the legislative agenda.

    The package comprises three big-ticket weaponry items -- eight diesel-electric submarines, a squadron of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft and six Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries. For more than a year, the opposition "pan-blue alliance" of the Kuomintang (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) has refused to screen the package because it claims the price is too high and that it should be listed under the regular budget rather than a special budget.

    The package was rejected the second time in the newly opened session of the legislature after the Ministry of National Defense put one item in the package -- the anti-missile batteries -- under the regular budget in response to a suggestion by some opposition legislators and remarks by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng that the arms procurement package should move into the review process.

    William C.T. Lai, a caucus whip of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, condemned the opposition parties for "maliciously blocking" the package yet again.

    The package concerns national security, and the opposition parties have no reason to oppose it, Lai claimed, adding that the public should turn away from the opposition parties for putting national security in jeopardy.

    KMT Legislator Tseng Yung-chuan claimed, however, that caution is needed in regard to arms procurement, adding that there is "no rush" to review the package as public consensus has yet to be forged.

    The KMT caucus will hold a meeting Thursday to listen to the views of the party's legislators, he said.

    Not only the arms procurement package, but other proposals such as the confirmation of the Control Yuan members nominated by President Chen Shui-bian, the establishment of a bill governing the establishment of a supervisory committee for the labor pension fund, amendments to the Referendum Law, the handling of ill-gotten assets by civic groups, and the amendment to the National Property Law were also blocked.

    But the proposals for the central government budget for next year, a special budget to expand public construction, as well as legislation relating to Chinese people coming to Taiwan as tourists were put on the agenda.

    A draft bill concerning artificial insemination was also put on the agenda in the wake of a controversy over the fiancee of an army captain who requested to harvest his sperm after he was killed in an accident.

(By Lilian Wu)

ENDITEM/J