PRESIDENT REAFFIRMS MILITARY SHOULD REMAIN NEUTRAL
ROC Central News Agency
2006-09-01 16:38:10
Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian reiterated Friday that the military should remain neutral and should not affiliate itself with any specific ideology, political party or individual.
The embattled president made the remarks against the backdrop of an imminent mass sit-in to pressure him to step down over a spate of corruption and embezzlement allegations implicating himself, his family members and senior aides. The Ministry of National Defense has said the military will remain neutral amid the domestic turmoil.
Chen was speaking during an award presentation ceremony ahead of Servicemen's Day, which falls on Sunday, when he will depart for a visit to Palau and Nauru in the South Pacific.
He said the military should pledge allegiance to the people and the nation and urged military leaders to ensure the safety of the nation and the people as well as the protection of the democratic constitution so that the military can "belong to and protect the people and adhere to the Constitution."
Meanwhile, faced with the questioning by the opposition over the changing of the name of the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport to the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the president said the change might be difficult, but that does not mean it should not happen.
In his capacity as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Chen said he has instructed the Ministry of National Defense to change the names of four Kidd-class destroyers bought from the United State to that of the names of local harbors.
Also present at the ceremony were Vice President Annette Lu, Minister of National Defense Lee Jye and Chief of the General Staff Lee Tien-yu, as well as various top military brass.
(By Lilian Wu)
ENDITEM/J
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
