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U.S. friendship keeping president from taking drastic move

ROC Central News Agency

2007-12-10 23:24:59

    Taipei, Dec. 10 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Monday he has refrained from holding a defensive referendum over China's misinterpretation of U.N. Resolution No. 2758 after taking into consideration U.S. friendship for Taiwan.

    Chen made the remarks while meeting with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond Burghardt, who is the top U.S. liaison officer with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. Also present at the meeting was Stephen Young, director of the AIT Taipei Office, and other officials.

    China, based on its misinterpretation of the U.N. resolution, has repeatedly declared at international gatherings that "Taiwan is a province of the People's Republic of China (PRC) " or "the PRC includes Taiwan and is the only legitimate government representing China," Chen said.

    Noting that such claims have gravely undermined the present cross-Taiwan Strait status quo, Chen said he could hold a referendum to defend Taiwan's sovereignty in line with the country's Referendum Act.

    Article 17 of the Referendum Act stipulates that the president is empowered to call a "defensive" referendum on the country's future whenever its sovereign status is endangered.

    Chen said he has refrained from doing so out of consideration of the traditionally cordial, friendly relations between Taiwan and the United States.

    Referring to a planned referendum on whether Taiwan should apply to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan, Chen said the initiative was proposed by private groups and has received the endorsement of more than 2 million members of the public.

    As Taiwan is now a democratic country ruled by law, Chen said he cannot overrule or veto such an initiative. "We must follow our constitutional provision and the stipulations of the Referendum Act," he stressed.

    Chen further explained that the U.N. bid referendum has two purposes. "First, we don't like to continually engage in the longstanding battle with China over the right to represent 'one China' and look forward to joining the U.N. in the name of Taiwan; second, we want to have our desire to join the U.N. heard by people around the world through the upcoming referendum," he explained.

    The president further accentuated that the referendum has nothing to do with changing Taiwan's official title and does not violate his "four noes" pledge. "In keeping with custom, we'll hold a flag-raising ceremony on Jan. 1, 2008 to mark the Republic of China's 97th founding anniversary and I'll definitely attend the ceremony, as I did in the past, " Chen told his guests.

    He also hailed as a mark of "full respect for Taiwan people's democratic choice" the remarks by Young and Thomas Christensen, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, that the U.S. government will cooperate with Taiwan's new president no matter who wins the March 22, 2008 presidential election.

    As to future cross-strait relations, Chen said: "While I have no idea what my successor will tell our people and the U.S. government and friends, I can guarantee that the 'four noes' promise I made to the U.S. government and President George W. Bush in 2000 and have strictly observed over the past eight years, will remain intact before my term expires next May."

(By Sofia Wu)

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