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Advisory group has made significant achievements: Chen

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday formally approved the "three acknowledgements and four suggestions" made by the President's Advisory Group on Cross-Strait Relations, saying they were a very good basis for further compromise and negotiations between differing political groups.

"The members of the advisory group represent ideologies that are poles apart from one another," said Chen during a reception at the Presidential Office. "There-fore, the suggestions they made are hard-won resolutions."

Chen made the remarks yesterday while receiving US Representative Floyd Spence, who is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Representatives Solomon Ortiz, Richard Burr and Silvestre Reyes.

Beijing on Thursday severely criticized the advisory group's suggestions as "neither here nor there, neither fish nor fowl."

Chen's statement's yesterday were meant to bolster support for the advisory group.

The advisory group made a public statement last Saturday, advocating "three acknowledgements and four suggestions," and it suggested that the president should respond to China's advocacy of the "one China" principle in accordance with the ROC Constitution.

Chen said yesterday that the government's cross-strait policy was based on his inauguration speech and the advisory group, which is led by Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), was now trying its best to create a consensus on the part of the public and political parties.

"The government will carefully consider the resolutions and consensus of the advisory group," Chen told guests.

The president then reaffirmed that he was confident that cross-strait relations will be normalized in the near future.

"We believe that some breakthroughs in cross-strait relations will soon be achieved and that they will improve," Chen said.

The president also mentioned the recent chaos in the political struggles between the government and the opposition party alliance, saying the disputes were inevitable in the aftermath of Taiwan's first handover of power.

"The transfer of power was a whole new beginning for Taiwan and the government has inevitably faced a lot of difficulties," Chen said. "I believe that the people will stand on the side of the new government and Taiwan will get through this political chaos safely."
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