DPP LEGISLATOR COMES UP WITH NEW PLAN ON MILITARY PROCUREMENT
ROC Central News Agency
2005-12-19 23:27:42
Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Wen-chung came up with a three-point plan Monday to address a long-stalled arms procurement project.
The U.S. government agreed to sell Taiwan a robust arms package in April 2001, including eight diesel-electric submarines, 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft and six Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile batteries. The opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan, however, has refused to screen relevant budget plans for the package for the past few years.
According to Lee's new three-point plan, the eight diesel-electric submarines should be financed by a special budget as originally planned to convince the United States to open a new production line to build the submarines.
Lee, a co-convener of the legislature's defense committee, also suggested that the 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft be financed by the Ministry of National Defense's regular budget and the legislature had better pass an increase to the ministry's 2006 budget during its next session scheduled to begin in February.
As for the six Patriot anti-missile batteries, Lee said this can be addressed after the three-year deadline expires in March 2007.
Lee was referring to a clause in the Referendum Law that states that is a question put to national referendum is turned down, it cannot appear in another referendum until after three years.
Lee urged the opposition "pan-blue alliance" of the Kuomintang and the People first Party to make a unified response to his new proposal as soon as possible because the United States may change its mind and decline to sell Taiwan the arms if Taiwan continues to drag its feet.
(By Taijing Wu)
enditem/mw
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