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DEFENSE MINISTER REJECTS OFFER TO JOIN DPP

ROC Central News Agency

2007-03-09 20:09:30

    Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Minister of National Defense Lee Jye expressed regret Friday after being expelled from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) , but turned down an offer from a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker to join the ruling DPP.

    Commenting on the KMT's decision to suspend his party membership, Lee said that "it will be the best for him to become free from political affiliation in his task to make the military politically neutral."

    The KMT's Evaluation and Discipline Committee decided to revoke Lee's membership earlier in the day on the grounds that Lee has seriously tainted the KMT's reputation, eroded the military's morale and political neutrality and stirred up social resentment by agreeing with the Executive Yuan's decision to remove all statues of the late President Chiang Kai-shek from military facilities around the country.

    In an intepellation session at the Legislative Yuan later that day, DPP lawmaker Hsueh Ling invited Lee to join the ruling party, but he rejected her offer, saying that "it will be much easier to serve in the post without any political affiliation."

    Juan Kang-meng, director of the KMT's evaluation committee, said Lee can apply for reinstatement of his party membership after one year but will have to perform according to the KMT's expectations if he wants his application for reinstatement to be successful.

(By Flor Wang)

ENDITEM/J