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TAIWAN ECHOES U.S. IDEAS ON CROSS-STRAIT STATUS QUO: MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

2006-02-02 16:55:48

    Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed Thursday that Taiwan and the United States share the same stance on the cross-Taiwan Strait status quo, despite U.S. "concern" over President Chen Shui-bian's statement Jan. 29 that he is seriously considering scrapping the National Unification Council and the National Unification Guidelines.

    James Huang, the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Chen made the statement according to a recent resolution of the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan that demands that the Presidential Office dissolve all ad hoc panels and commissions that do not have a legal basis.

    According to Huang, the National Unification Council is one of the commissions that meet the legislature's requirements for disbanding. "The president is just reflecting the concerns of Taiwan's people. We hope that people do not misunderstand his statement. The president indeed said that the government is considering scrapping the National Unification Council and the Guidelines for National Unification, and the proposal is being considered, " Huang said. "It is not Taiwan's intention to surprise the United States. If there are differences on both sides, we shall strengthen communication with the U.S. authorities," Huang added.

    Huang said the government has conducted discussions with the American Institute in Taipei (AIT) and claimed that they have resulted in helpful resolutions. "If Taiwan had not notified the U.S. on its decision-making procedure and before Chen made his statement, it is sure that the U.S. would have been surprised. But this is not the case. There could be differences between Taiwan's and the U.S.'s ideas on the issue, but it is `not as serious' as people think," Huang claimed.

    Chen made expressly clear during his inaugural speeches in 2000 and again in 2004 that he would absolutely not consider abolishing either the National Unification Council or the National Unification Guidelines.

(By Taijing Wu)

ENDITEM/J