Chen casts doubt on his appearance at inter-party meeting

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is pleased with the convening of cross-party negotiations initiated by opposition KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰), Secretary-General to the President Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday. But officials cast some doubt on the question of whether he would attend.

"The president is not only happy to see the convening of negotiations between the leaders of all major parties, but he extends his heart-felt support," Yu said. He added that the consensuses reached at the just-concluded Economic Development Advisory Conference proved far better than originally expected.

"It has not only established a new strategy for the development of the country's economy, but has laid the foundation for cooperation between the parties," he noted.

You added that he understood Lien and People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) want to convene cross-party negotiations after the conference, and added that Chen "is happy to support the plan."

However, he said, the Presidential Office could not yet say whether the president would personally take part in the negotiations, as the nature of the talks remain unclear.

If the nature of the talks is defined as inter-party negotiations, Yu said that they would be better represented by party leaders.

He went on to point out that if the talks are designed to implement the agreements reached at the conference, it seems appropriate to consider the participation of the premier, vice premier and relevant Cabinet ministers, as they will be responsible for implementating proposals.

"If the president's presence at the inter-party negotiations will produce constructive significance, he will be happy to attend," said Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), director of the Public Affairs Office under the Presidential Office.