Lee should mediate in Chen's row with KMT

The debate over the safety of nuclear energy seems endless. Now everyone can certainly see the potency of nuclear energy. Although the chance of a nuclear meltdown is only one in a million, the political thermonuclear bomb which has exploded over the issue of nuclear energy by Taiwan proves the danger of such an energy source.

Both the timing and manner of the Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) administration's announcement of the discontinuation of construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (核四) were certainly inappropriate.

The announcement facilitated a "nuclear integration" among the KMT, PFP, and the New Party, setting in motion a confrontation leading to a "nuclear division."

The petition for a presidential recall launched by the KMT legislators has been endorsed by more than 140 signatories so far, approaching the 147 required for a recall proposal to pass.

The controversy over the plant may be resolved within the legal framework by a legal amendment to our nuclear energy policy. As the ruling party is, of course, a minority in the Legislative Yuan, however, it is unwilling to accept this approach. Even if the legislature goes ahead with a legal amendment, the Presidential Office and the Executive Yuan will be sure to oppose the legislation, dragging the controversy out until next year's legislative election.

Our Constitution provides other options for dealing with such a controversy, including a vote of no confidence, a presidential recall and/or an interpretation of the Constitution by the Grand Council of Justices.

The first two options will escalate the political chaos -- further weakening the already shaky economic and social conditions. Can Taiwan afford the social cost of six months to a year of political unrest? Even if it can, how far behind will it place Taiwan in cross-strait affairs and international competition thereafter?

Assuming that the Council of Grand Justices makes a ruling interpreting the legal force of the plant's approved budget, either side could easily flip a coin and decide to continue the warfare. The problem would remain.

As the president is deeply involved in the controversy, he lacks impartiality. He is therefore incapable of mediating an inter-branch dispute in accordance with Article 44 of the Constitution. A meeting between the heads of the four government branches has proven futile.

The announcement of the halt of the plant's construction immediately after a meeting between Chen and Lien Chan (連戰) that was supposed to symbolize a reconciliation between the political parties makes the opposition parties doubt the president's good faith. The mechanism for party-to-party negotiation has been short-circuited.

The last hope for a political resolution is former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). Both the ruling and opposition parties are doing their best to win Lee's support, indicating that he still holds a certain degree of clout. Although Lee has indicated that he will stay out of the warfare over the presidential recall, as a political mentor of both Lien and Chen, he has strong relationships with both of them. His political seniority, weight, connections and wisdom all make him the best coolant for the nuclear controversy.

If Lee, as a former president, were willing to step in and mediate the controversy so that the political parties may find a way out of the current standoff, this would certainly illustrate his magnanimity. Were he to do so, the political storm would soon die out and our society would be able to avoid the devastation caused by chain reactions to the nuclear controversy.