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Vice president fires salvo at Soong's maneuverings

"People are talking about who will become the next vice president but nobody is concerned about what the incumbent vice president has achieved."

Annette Lu, vice president

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday said PFP Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) recent performances show that he is overweening and too ambitious.

Lu said Soong will make an all-out effort to violate the country's Constitution to possess more power even though he is the running-mate of KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰).

"Everybody can see that Soong has worked very hard recently, and it is obvious that he is trying to secure a `dual-presidential system' before winning next year's presidential election," Lu said yesterday.

"I must urge the public to seriously consider whether we can accept such a system?" she asked.

Lu yesterday held a press conference to promote her new book which details her experiences assisting President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) during the past three years.

Lu criticized the opposition's cooperation in seeking the presidency.

"People are talking about who will become the next vice president but nobody is concerned about what the incumbent vice president has achieved," Lu said, adding that Premier Yu Shyi-kun is endeavoring to protect the semi-presidential system while Soong has made an all-out effort to ensure that the country has two leaders of equal power.

Lu said if the president and the vice president belong to different political parties, then the country will face a constitutional crisis.

"The Constitution is ambiguous on the interpretation and definition of the vice president," Lu said.

"It only uses four words -- reserved head of state, which can be interpreted in two ways -- a standby post that will not necessarily be used, or the other one -- a post prepared to replace the presidency," Lu said.

"In the former situation, the vice president may be regarded as the president's right-hand man to observe policy-making processes," Lu said.

"However, in the latter situation, the two may keep a distance due to mutual mistrust, just like they are political opponents."

"Unfortunately, the latter always happens in those countries where the president and the vice president are not from the same party or those two posts were voted in different times."

Responding to Lu's remarks, Lien accused Lu of misunderstanding the Constitution and said that Lu has no cause for worry

"The Constitution gives a very clear definition to regulate the duty of those in government posts, and it stipulates that the president can authorize the vice president to assist shouldering state affairs," Lien said.

"And I will give my deputy my full authority to endeavor to the best of his ability as long as he is willing to do anything for the people," he said.

Soong said that he is 100 percent behind Lien and fully realizes his duty as Lien's deputy.

"The DPP should stop trying its old trick of separating its opponents," Soong said.

"The ruling party has nothing better to do than to expect our cooperation to fall apart," he said,

"The public should ask that why the DPP pays attention to how others will serve their posts but still hasn't managed to propose its vice presidential candidate until now."
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