The KMT and PFP yesterday had mixed responses to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) proposition to hold a summit with local political leaders.
The KMT said it would accept the invitation if the meeting is helpful to the well-being of the people. The PFP, meanwhile, cold-shouldered the idea, saying that Chen should stop smearing the opposition parties before seeking friendlier relations with them.
KMT spokesman Wu Ching-ji (吳清基) said that the party wouldn't absent itself from an effort in the interests of the nation and people.
Wu said, however, that President Chen should contact the opposition parties to extend his invitation to the meeting, instead of informing them through the news media.
According to standard operating procedures, staff-level meetings should be held to arrange the agenda before the summit takes place, Wu said.
PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉) criticized Chen for dishonesty and capriciousness, which he said hamper the DPP's relationships with the opposition.
For example, Hsieh said, Chen had alleged that KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) would rather meet with the leaders in Beijing than meet with him.
In a recent interview with a German magazine, Chen also said that Beijing had tried to influence Taiwan's elections by financing candidates friendly to Beijing, but failed to specify which elections he was referring to, Hsieh said.
Hsieh said these were rumors spread by the president to deliberately defame the opposition for which the president should apologize to the KMT and PFP first in order to make more friendly interactions possible.
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