President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has invited the heads of the five branches of government to discuss major issues, probably next week, Presidential Office staff said yesterday.
Following reports that Chen had invited the heads of the Cabinet, the legislature, the judiciary, the Examination Yuan and the Control Yuan to a dinner meeting on Monday, officials said they hoped the meeting would take place later in the week.
Chen last met the five heads in early July to collect opinions on setting up a commission to probe the March 19 assassination attempt, as well as other issues.
At that meeting, Chen showed the officials the gunshot wounds he had sustained on his abdomen to dispel doubts surrounding the attack, which the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party claimed was staged to help him win the presidential election.
Last week, Chen signed into law a special statute passed by the Legislative Yuan to allow the formation of a commission to investigate the shooting.
Chen said that while the government supported the investigation, it should not be unconstitutional.
Since the statute has generated considerable controversy, it should be sent to the Council of Grand Justices for an assessment of its constitutionality, Chen said.
Chen also proposed a state-of-the-nation address to the Legislative Yuan to address the major issues of arms procurement, the nation's UN bid and promoting peace in the Taiwan Strait.
But the pan-blue alliance said that it was up to the legislature to invite the president to deliver such a report and that Chen should answer questions.
Chen said he would not agree to questions from legislators as the Constitution only allows them to question the premier and government heads.
The Presidential Office would not confirm if recent developments will be included on the agenda.
It said only that Chen "will discuss major national issues of mutual concern with the heads of the five yuans."
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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