Premier Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday that both sides of the Taiwan Strait can talk about any issues in consultations and dialogue, even the "one China" rhetoric cherished by China, and there will be no bottom line.
The premier was responding to questions by Legislator Cheng Kuo-chung (鄭國忠) of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Legislative Yuan. Cheng asked how the Executive Yuan is going to follow through on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) call for the resumption of cross-strait dialogue in his Double Ten National Day message.
Chen said he would propose that both sides use the basis of the 1992 meeting in Hong Kong to seek possible ways that are "not necessarily perfect, but accept-able" in preparation for a step forward in the resumption of dialogue and consultations.
The premier said a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong paved the way for the first high-ranking negotiations between China and Taiwan the following year, but that there is no such thing as the "1992 consensus."
The president's words that the Hong Kong meeting could be used as a basis aims to put aside cross-strait disputes on sovereignty and engage in pragmatic exchanges, Yu said, stressing that his words should not be twisted to imply a consensus was reached in 1992.
On cross-strait issues the president touched on in his address, including arms control to avoid conflicts, confidence-building measures through consultations and dialogues, and the establishment of a "code of conduct across the Taiwan Strait," Yu said that the government has "made preparations for cross-strait matters."
"There will be no bottom line for cross-strait consultations, he said, so anything can be discussed, including possible venues and timing.
"The government is extending an olive branch in sincerity, and is hoping to have a positive response from China," Yu said.
The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter. The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said. The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion
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