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OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS ALLEGE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE BY MILITARY

ROC Central News Agency

2005-10-17 18:40:23

    Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) Several opposition lawmakers on Monday asked the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to investigate a high-ranking military official's remarks that apparently violated the military's stance of remaining politically neutral over the arms purchase plan.

    At a session of the legislature's National Defense Committee, several opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) lawmakers expressed their concern over a recent appeal made by Lt. Gen. Chen Kuo-hsiang, director of the Political Warfare Department of the MND's Armed Forces Reserve Command, calling for the public to vote for those in support of the MND's arms purchase package from the United States in the year-end, three-in-one elections.

    High on the MND's arms procurement list are eight diesel-electric submarines, six Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries and a squadron of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft from the U.S.

    It was said that Chen, who was upset about the arms procurement budget's being stalled in the legislature by the opposition "pan-blue alliance" for more than a year, urged the public to vote for those candidates who are in support of the arms deal, and turn away from those who are against it, in a seminar held recently.

    KMT Legislator Ting Shou-chung said that Chen's remarks apparently violated the National Defense Law by politicizing the arms purchase question.

    Although Chen said his remarks were just "personal opinion, " PFP Legislator Lin Yu-fang insisted that military personnel should not be involved in political issues.

    In response, Vice Chief of the General Staff Tseng Chin-ling said he was not well informed of Chen's remarks, but added that Minister of National Defense Lee Jye has promised to look into the matter.

    However, Tseng said if this was what Chen actually said, his comment were "inappropriate and unnecessary."

(By Elisa Kao)

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