PATRIOT III PURCHASE SHOULDN'T BE AFFECTED BY REFERENDUM: OFFICIAL
ROC Central News Agency
2005-09-29 12:17:16
Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) The purchase of Patriot III anti-missile batteries was approved in 1998 during President Lee Teng-hui's term of office and therefore should not be affected by the 2004 referendum, Deputy Defense Minister Tsai Ming-hsien said Thursday.
Tsai made the remarks at a Legislative Yuan National Defense Committee meeting when he reported his ministry's response to the controversy triggered by the defeat of the 2004 referendum initiated by the Chen Shui-bian government.
Tsai said the ministry was simply "continuing" a government policy by requesting a budget for purchasing Patriot III missiles, which were not listed in the referendum question. What was listed instead was the term "increasing anti-missile devices," he noted.
He acknowledged that the referendum was vetoed because less than 50 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. Still, he pointed out, of those who voted, 7.4 million agreed with the government's proposal to increase anti-missile equipment for the armed forces, which he said makes it clear where mainstream public opinion stands with regard to the issue.
Moreover, Tsai said, the referendum law does not specify that the government cannot ask for legislative support for a bill or a budget to implement a project that has been vetoed in a referendum.
Therefore, he said he would like to ask the legislature to consider public opinion as well as the urgent need to boost the nation's defense capability, and support the government's request for buying Patriot III batteries.
The NT$140 billion budget for purchasing Patriot III anti-missile batteries has been moved to the ministry's regular annual budget from a special budget for three major weaponry items that include submarines and anti-submarine aircraft.
(By S.C. Chang)
ENDITEM/Li
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
