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Getting referendum on U.N. bid passed `only focus': president

ROC Central News Agency

2007-10-11 17:21:33

    Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Thursday that getting a planned referendum on the country's bid to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan passed will be his "only focus" after taking the helm of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

    The president made the remarks at a news conference during which he announced that he will concurrently serve as DPP chairman.

    Chen expressed hope that the DPP-initiated U.N. bid referendum proposal will solicit 2 million signatures, more than twice the required 850,000 signatures, in a show of the will and determination of the public in the quest for U.N. seat. The proposed referendum will take place alongside the March 22 presidential election next year.

    He also expressed hope that the proposal will be passed by receiving more than 8 million "yes" votes.

    Chen noted that a constitutional reform proposal will have a much higher threshold to be considered passed, as it will require "yes" votes from half of the eligible voters. A referendum on Taiwan's U.N. bid will only need half of the voters to turn out and half of them to give approval to be considered passed.

    The president said that constitutional reforms, amendments or a new constitution will first require a proposal by three-quarters of the legislators before the proposal can be put to a referendum, which will be considered passed if half of the eligible voters cast "yes" ballots.

    As there are no constitutional reform or new constitution proposals in the legislature, it is "out of the question" that there will be any constitutional reform before March 2008, he added.

    Chen also described the Referendum Law as "flawed," which he said has hampered the public's rights and freedom to exercise a referendum, adding that the problem needs to be redressed.

    But he said redressing the Referendum Law will not affect the DPP-initiated planned referendums on retrieving the ill-gotten assets amassed by the main opposition Kuomintang during its five decades of rule, as well as on Taiwan's membership of the United Nations.

     Chen pledged in his 2004 inauguration address that by the time he completes his presidency in 2008, he would hand the people of Taiwan a new constitution that is "timely, relevant and viable."

(By Lilian Wu)

ENDITEM/J