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U.S. obliged to make clear its position on referendum: official

ROC Central News Agency

2007-12-07 13:18:48

    Washington, Dec. 6 (CNA) The United States has an obligation to let the Taiwan people clearly understand its position on Taiwan's planned referendum on applying to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan, a U.S. State Department official said Thursday.

    The United States has been doing so on various public occasions and will continue to do so, said Thomas Christensen, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, during a press briefing with Taiwanese media in the U.S. capital.

    Christensen said he believes the U.S. move has been successful because the Taiwan people have understood the position of the United States and are taking it seriously.

    Stressing that the United States honors democracy and has no intention of dictating what Taiwan should or should not do, Christensen said the United States respects the wisdom of the Taiwan people and believes they will choose a policy that is favorable to Taiwan and cross-Taiwan Strait peace and stability through the democratic process.

    Christensen made the remarks when asked to comment on issues surrounding the planned referendum, including President Chen Shui-bian's latest remarks that U.S. opposition to the referendum could trigger an emotional backlash from the Taiwan people and could be unfavorable to relations between the two countries.

    Christensen reiterated that both Taiwan and China should avoid taking any "needlessly provocative actions" so as not to escalate cross-strait tensions and that the referendum is just an example of such actions.

    While the United States is opposed to any unilateral actions by either side to change the cross-strait status quo, the U.N. bid referendum is obviously designed to seek changes to the status quo, he said.

    According to Christensen, the referendum is inconsistent with Chen's promise that he will not change Taiwan's official name during his term, and by implying that the referendum will provide the Taiwan people a chance to express their opinions on whether Taiwan should unify with China, Chen is also going against his pledge that he will not promote a referendum on the unification versus independence issue during his term.

    Calling the ruling Democratic Progressive Party-initiated referendum "unwise, " Christensen said the referendum is not only dangerous and provocative, but it will also scare away potential friends who might help Taiwan, including the United States.

    On Chen's claim that it will help prompt the United States to change its "one China" policy if the referendum is passed, Christensen said the U.S. government has no plans to alter the decades-long policy because it has been proven helpful in maintaining cross-strait peace and favorable to Taiwan.

    Responding to Christensen's statement, Taiwan's representative to the United States, Joseph Wu, said China's continued isolation of Taiwan in the international community is the main cause behind cross-strait instability.

    Wu stressed that Taiwan is a democratic country and that its people have the right to express their opinions through various democratic means, including referendums, adding that the U.N. bid referendum does not involve changing the country's official name or address the unification versus independence issue.

(By Chiehyu Lin, Jorge Liu and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/Li