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KMT legislator blasts Tsai as coward and Lee as fool

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen, left, and KMT Legislator John Chang exchange opinions during a meeting yesterday. PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The government confirmed yesterday that the US government is now considering President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) arrangement of appointing Taiwan's representative to Brussels, David Lee (李大維) to serve as the top diplomat in Washington.

"Though David Lee is a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), he, who has experience and training in diplomatic affairs, as well as outstanding performance in promoting Taiwan's international visibility, is no doubt an excellent choice," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山) yesterday when attending the KMT legislative caucus' breakfast meeting.

"We think that due to Lee's extraordinary capabilities and record, the US government will gladly welcome such an arrangement," the minister said.

However, the KMT legislative caucus expressed serious concern about Lee's ability to deliver President Chen and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) thoughts.

John Chang (章孝嚴) said Lee was not President Chen's first choice, and the post would just ruin Lee's career.

"The DPP's diplomatic measures are completely out of order," Chang said during the meeting.

"The president's first choice [as top representative to the US] is Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who has no guts to accept the challenge, because she knows it is a `mission impossible.' The second choice is Lee, who has no vision, but just blindly jumps into the volcano to be sacrificed," said Chang, who once was a low-level diplomat in Washington as well as a former Minister of Foreign Affairs under the KMT government.

Chang stressed that Lee is not someone President Chen really trusts, and to promote the current deputy representative in Washington is a much better arrangement than to shift Lee from Europe to the US.

"Unless President Chen is preparing to post Eugene Chien (簡又新), the former Minister of Foreign Affairs who just left his post last month, to Brussels," Chang said.

Responding to Chang's criticism, the ministry held a press conference yesterday afternoon, where a spokesman blasted Chang for opportunistic grandstanding.

"I made my decision due to personal reasons, related to my family affairs. How could Chang mislead the public about that fact?" Tsai said.

"As he knows a lot about diplomatic affairs, Chang should not defame others over this issue. This has just displayed Chang's inappropriate thoughts, for which he should feel regret," the statement said.

Meanwhile, senior DPP Legislator Parris Chang (張旭成) will be invited to join the National Security Council as deputy secretary general, said a government source.

"President Chen has clearly asked Chang not to take part in the DPP's primary election for the year-end legislative elections, and the president told Chang that the government expects him to contribute to the fields of national defense and foreign affairs," said the source.

Chang told the Taipei Times yesterday that it is inappropriate for him to discuss the president's arrangements.

"What you mention [deputy secretary general of the NSC] is quite close to the truth," said Chang. "As to those rumors, which say I may become the chief of the Coordination Council for North American Affairs, they are mere groundless speculation."
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