DROPPING USE OF FORCE A MUST TO RE-OPEN CROSS-STRAIT NEGOTIATIONS: MA
ROC Central News Agency
2006-02-14 18:14:31
London, Feb. 13 (CNA) To resume cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations, China must renounce its military intimidation of Taiwan, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou said in London Monday.
Noting that dismantling missiles aimed at Taiwan is just one prerequisite for re-opening cross-strait negotiations, Ma emphasized that China must give up the threat of using force against Taiwan and that this is the primary reason behind his proposal to set up a "military trust" mechanism between Taiwan and China.
Ma, who is also chairman of Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), made the remarks while fielding questions from Jonathan Eyal, Director of Studies at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), after making a speech on "The Rise of Asia and China: Prospects for Peace or Conflict" at the highly respected defense and security thinktank.
Around 50 researchers and British government officials in charge of Far Eastern affairs attended the activity.
Should the KMT return to power in the 2008 presidential election, Ma said, it would seek to ink a deal on a cross-strait peace framework with China to pave the way for setting up a bilateral military trust mechanism, establishing a cross-strait common market and discussing Taiwan's representation at world bodies.
Ma also called on the European Union not to consider lifting its ban on arms exports to China before Beijing has abandoned its military threat against Taiwan. The KMT head said he strongly believes that maintaining peace in the strait also serves the E. U.'s interests.
Ma is currently on a six-day visit to London in his capacity as mayor of Taipei.
(By J. F. Huang and Flor Wang)
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