Though negotiations over the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (
"The ball is now in the Executive Yuan's court," Legislative Yuan speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang was responding to a request from Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
But the DPP sees the demand as a conversation killer, and say the opposition parties are deliberately trying to avoid a final solution to the dispute.
So close, yet so far
Political watchers expect negotiations to be resumed soon, and say it would be a shame if a final deal regarding the nuclear power plant failed to materialize.
"There is already an agreement. The rest of the problem simply concerns revision of the wording and the order of priorities for each point of agreement," said KMT legislator Chen Shei-saint (
The latest chapter in the life of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant began last month, after the Council of Grand Justices said the Executive Yuan's Oct. 27 decision to scrap the plant had "procedural flaws."
Following the council's ruling, the opposition-controlled legislature passed a resolution demanding an immediate resumption of the plant's construction.
Though the Executive Yuan said the resolution was non-binding, it said it would negotiate a solution to the dispute and even telegraphed its willingness to complete the plant as a part of any agreement.
In return for going ahead with the plant, the DPP government and the opposition would agree to enact an energy law that would eventually lead to a nuclear-free country.
Sticking points
The two sides appeared to be moving toward an agreement. But the wording of the deal has lead to several sticking points.
In a proposal raised on Monday, the opposition coalition said the Executive Yuan should "accept the legislature's resolution" and resume construction of the plant immediately -- even though the Executive Yuan said it considered the resolution non-binding.
The Executive Yuan responded by saying it was willing to reactivate the project's budget and let the construction work continue "through the coordination of the president."
In addition, the Cabinet said subsequent budgets for the project should be handled by "the newly elected legislators based on the most recent public opinion," meaning those elected in December's legislative polls.
But the opposition balked at the idea, saying the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant was a "major national affair" on which the legislature had the constitutional power to make resolutions, and thus did not require coordination by the president.
In addition, the opposition saw the DPP's proposal to let the project be handled by the next legislature as undermining sitting legislators and as a ploy to win the sympathies of anti-nuclear voters in the December elections.
On Tuesday, the opposition reiterated its demand that construction be immediately restarted -- though it used softer language -- and said doing so would "show respect for the constitutional system and peace among the branches of government."
Gesture of 'goodwill'
Lai Shyh-bao (
"No matter what, we are safeguarding the legislative powers, but are also showing a considerable level of goodwill," Lai said.
The strong backlash from within the DPP, which maintains an anti-nuclear party platform, is also a factor delaying the resumption of the nuclear power plant's construction.
The DPP leadership needs to find a way to lessen the decision's impact on the party, and stress that the ultimate goal of building a nuclear-free country has become essential for the DPP to face its supporters.
"The fact that President Chen Shui-bian [陳水扁], who decided recklessly to scrap the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project, is making another reckless decision to continue it, has caused great harm to the party," said DPP legislator Lee Wen-chung (李文忠).
Lee said that while traditional DPP supporters were disappointed with the party for its "betrayal" of the anti-nuclear ideal, neutral voters had been scared away in light of the huge economic and financial losses caused by the dispute, which was triggered by the "mistaken political maneuvering" of Chen.
"It might be unfair to blame the fall of the stock market entirely on the dispute, but they are definitely related.
"Furthermore, the financial losses caused by the suspension of construction work have exceeded the costs of continuing the project," Lee said.
Chen Shei-saint suggested that the two sides should stop their struggle over the wording of any deal and quickly arrive at a solution for the well-being of the entire nation.
"It is a victory to the opposition coalition as long as the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant continues.
"Also, it represents the fruit of the DPP's long-time effort, because the goal of a nuclear-free country has become a consensus between the ruling and opposition parties," Chen said.
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