The current six-way talks about the North Korean nuclear arms crisis could serve as a model for a possible summit between South and North Korea, President Chen Shui-bian (
"Judging by South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun's (
"The Korean Peninsula issue should be solved through negotiation, which includes not only a dialogue between the two Koreas but also the six-way talks," Chen said.
The president spoke at a reception to welcome Kim Young-oak (金容沃), founder of the Korea Institute for Classical Studies in Seoul to Taiwan. Kim was accompanied by the founder and choreographer of the prestigious Cloud Gate Dance Theater troupe, Lin Hwai-min (林懷民), and Rick Chu (朱立熙), editor in chief of the Taipei Times.
Chen told guests that the government of Taiwan remains firmly in favor of keeping the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons, as well as peaceful dialogue as a means of solving conflicts in the region.
The president stressed that more political momentum is needed before aviation links between Taiwan and South Korea can be resumed.
"High-level officials on both sides are willing to solve this problem smoothly by consensus," he said
Now that the Taiwanese officials and their South Korean counterparts have sorted out most of the details, the key factor is whether Seoul can agree to a principle of "fairness and reciprocity," Chen said.
"The president means that Seoul should send a high-level official to sign the pact if they really want to resume flights," said a source in the Presidential Office.
But the Korean side has said several times that they can only send low-level officials to sign the pact out of concern over Beijing's reaction, and that is something Taiwan cannot accept, the presidential official said.
Praising Kim for his outstanding performance in his journalistic career, Chen said he would be willing to serve as member of the media someday after retiring from the presidency.
"It would be very exciting to become a reporter. However, I understand that such a job is not easy and I may not be qualified," Chen said.
At another meeting yesterday,Chen reaffirmed his confidence in winning the presidential election next year.
Receiving a group of commercial leaders at the Presidential Office, he said it seems that it will take two rounds of presidential elections to effect a complete power transfer.
"Just like in some countries that use a two-round system to elect their head of state, the winner must get more than half the votes," Chen said.
"The result of the 2000 presidential election, in which none of the candidates won more than half the votes, can be regarded as the first round. The other two candidates in the 2000 presidential election, who refuse to accept my victory, now cooperate to challenge me in next year's election."
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