Chen calls on cross-strait scholars to consider rights

During a meeting yesterday with foreign scholars and politicians, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) called on scholars to view the issues across the Taiwan Strait from the perspective of democracy and human rights.

Chen made the remarks during a meeting with attendees of the Asia-Pacific Democratic Cooperation Forum, which ended on Tuesday. Scholars from 11 countries participated in the event.

China's threat toward Taiwan is a major irony to democracy, Chen said during the meeting, adding that the establishment of a democratic-cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region would help to promote democracy and human rights and bring prosperity to the region.

Attendees at the forum included former US assistant secretary of defense Frank Kramer, Brookings Institute Vice President James Steinberg, Indian parliamentarian Krishna Bose and Thailand's Asian Forum Planning Department Director Kamol Kamoltrakul.

Discussions at the conference focused on the general development of democratization in the Asian-Pacific region.

Presenters of papers listed at the conference included Odina Desrochers, a member of the Canadian parliament; Senator Somkiat Onwimon from Thailand; and Celia Layus, a Philippine parliamentarian.

The conference was jointly sponsored by the World League for Freedom and Democracy, the Asian Pacific League for Freedom and Democracy, Tamkang University and Shih Hsin University.