Opposition parties unites against Chen

The heads of the three major opposition parties yesterday reached further consensus to cooperate in recalling President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), declaring that they will hold a high-profile meeting next Wednesday to discuss how to solve the current disputes, which they say have been caused by the government's improper leadership.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) yesterday refused to accept any "explanation" or "concern" from the Presidential Office, saying that all opposition powers should unite together to clear away the source of the country's chaos.

"There is no need for Chen to send a representative to see me or to visit in person to give his regards," Lien said after leading a delegation to pay tribute to the resting place of late President Chiang Kai-shek on the 114th anniversary of Chiang's birth.

Lien urged Chen not to "revolve around formalities."

KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正) also accused the government of merely "putting on a show" when Secretary-General to the Presidential Office Yu Shyi-kun earlier in the day proposed visiting Lin in order to convey a message from the president and to work out the details for Chen to visit Lien in person.

KMT Spokesman Jason Hu (胡志強) also urged the president to keep his mind on policy-making instead of on showmanship.

Meanwhile, PFP Chairman James Soong met with the New Party's convener Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday and both agreed on the establishment of a "mainstream public opinion dialogue measure" between the three major opposition parties.

"We are not talking about merging our parties, we are only discussing how to efficiently unite our power to supervise the government," said Soong after the closed-door meeting with Hau.

Hau also confirmed that he would take charge in arranging the high-profile meeting of the heads of the three opposition parties next week.

"We will set up a `hot line measure' between the heads of the three parties. The meeting will be held next Wednesday at the earliest," Hau said.

Opposition parties have been locked in battle with the ruling DPP government -- going as far as rallying to recall the president -- since the Cabinet sprung a surprise on the nation last Friday by announcing that it was pulling the plug on the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project.

The announcement came hot on the heels of what was supposed to be a fence-mending meeting between Chen and Lien in which Chen had just promised to give careful thought to the nuclear plant issue.

Meanwhile, the DPP appealed to the opposition parties not to act like the "worst example" of political culture only because of losing the election.

"To recall the president because he has advocated a different policy, I think that represents the worst political culture, with `reprisal breeding reprisal,'" which can only affect the stability of our country," said DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷).