Opposition politicians used the conclusion of the Economic Development Advisory Confer-ence yesterday to express their willingness to promote and even host political party negotiations.
Political party chiefs said such negotiations would help to determine how the conference's resolutions could be made into legislation.
The shift in mood was dramatic as opposition parties have done little in the way of supporting the DPP government since it came to power following last year's election.
The KMT, which currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, said yesterday that it would like to hold "party negotiations" within two weeks and invited all party leaders to schedule jointly a timetable to implement the conference's resolutions.
"Since the [conference] has achieved many consensus resolutions, all political parties should help the government create a smooth road in the Legislative Yuan," KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正) said yesterday.
"We can't just sit down and wait until the new parliament begins in February," Lin said. "We have to supervise the government to implement these resolutions and speed up the legislative process."
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said during his speech at the closing ceremony of the conference yesterday that he expects to attend the negotiations.
The New Party and PFP yesterday echoed the president, saying they welcomed the KMT's proposal.
"Saving the country's economy is just like stoking a fire," said New Party spokesman Kao Hsin-wu (高新武). "The [conference] has created many consensus resolutions and now the problem is whether those lawmakers are willing to cooperate for the sake of the country."
The PFP also said that, if necessary, it can hold a "party summit" of chairmen across the political spectrum to further discuss moving the council's suggestions through the legislature.
One DPP leader commented yesterday that, with the successful completion of the conference, opposition parties want to take the credit for having "saved the country's economy."
"The [conference] is obviously successful. No party dares to boycott its resolutions," said DPP legislative caucus leader Tsai Huang-liang (
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