DPP takes issue with words `issued in'

Worried that adding the English phrase "Issued in Taiwan" to the cover of ROC passports could create further confusion in the international community, a DPP lawmaker yesterday called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to add only the word "Taiwan" to the bottom of the passport cover.

While the opposition camp has threatened to cut the government's budget and to take the issue to the Council of Grand Justices for a constitutional interpretation, DPP legislative whip Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) yesterday told the Taipei Times that budget negotiations between the DPP and the opposition have continued smoothly under the mediation of speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).

"Perhaps voting [on the budget] will not even be necessary," Tsai said with unusual confidence, sparking speculation that an under-the-table deal has been made between the DPP and Wang. The DPP controls only 65 of the legislature's 225 seats, while the KMT, PFP and the New Party of the opposition side hold a total of 138 seats.

Regarding the passport issue, Tsai said the words "Issued in Taiwan" would create confusion.

"To add `Issued in Taiwan' to ROC passport covers would make the international community think that they were passports of the People's Republic of China issued in Taiwan,'" Tsai told the Taipei Times.

Tsai said the DPP would instead prefer that only the word "Taiwan" be added to the bottom of the passport covers, which he said would make clear that the documents are ROC passports.

In response to the opposition camp's threat to raise the issue with the Council of Grand Justices, Tsai said that adding "Taiwan" to the passports isn't a legitimate issue for arbitration since the name of the country is not being changed.

"Adding `Taiwan' to the bottom has nothing to do with changing the name of the country, since the official title is on the top of the cover," Tsai said.

Commenting on how DPP legislators would react if the opposition lawmakers took advantage of their majority to cut the budget, Tsai said that "negotiation [on the budget] is going on."

When asked if any deal had been made, Tsai declined to comment.

"We are just trying our best," Tsai said.