DPP legislators say pan-green cooperation `inevitable'

One day after the pan-blue opposition leaders forged an alliance for the 2004 presidential election, legislators from the ruling DPP said yesterday that it is "inevitable" that the DPP must cooperate with its ally the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU).

DPP Legislator Wang Tuoh (王拓) made the remarks the day after KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) signed a memorandum of understanding to form a KMT-PFP coalition for the presidential election next year.

Wang said that the DPP will not "underestimate" the strength of the KMT-PFP alliance, adding that under the present circumstances, DPP-TSU cooperation is inevitable and that "there is no other option."

Wang said that the pan-green camp will cooperate lest the pan-blue camp attempts to thwart the passage of bills that the government is pushing for improving the economy and carrying out reforms.

He said variables still exist in terms of DPP-TSU cooperation, adding that although former Taiwan president and TSU spiritual leader Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) has said he would back the DPP in next year's presidential election, this does not mean cooperation without any strings attached.

Tsai Huan-lan, another DPP legislator, said that although the KMT-PFP alliance will put pressure on the ruling party, it should not have an impact on the passage of legislative bills.

He also said that DPP-TSU cooperation should begin with the legislative caucus and the establishment of a cooperation mechanism before expanding to other higher levels.

DPP Legislator Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) noted that there exists a deep cleft between the KMT and PFP since the 2000 presidential election, saying that although the two party leaders embraced each other on Friday, he believes the two parties will face difficulties in bridging the gap between them.

In contrast, Ker said that the DPP and TSU share many ideals and that they have long cooperated with each other. He added that there is no need for them to sign a memorandum of understanding regarding next year's election, saying that would seem too "pretentious."

He also mentioned that it is "feasible for the DPP and TSU to establish closer communication channels."

Meanwhile, Cheng Jhen-long (程振隆), TSU party whip in the legislature, said that the pan-green camp is united, but added that the cooperation will be confined on the agenda, stressing that the TSU will continue to play the role of monitoring the government and will not allow the DPP to "compromise national interests."

Cheng said that the party supports the ideal of "Taiwan first," which aims to protect the overall interests of the nation, but he noted that President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) "new middle-of-the-road" policy which the legislator said aims to solicit the support of some voters from the pan-blue camp is a deviation from the right path.

He also said that the TSU will insist on its ideals when the party differs with the DPP on policies, citing as examples the issue of the opening of direct trade, postal and transportation links with the China and the government's recent approval for eight-inch wafer plants to be set up in China by Taiwan companies, saying that the TSU could not budge from its stance on such issues.