Nelson, who first reported earlier this month that US President George W. Bush was personally angry at Chen over his Lunar New Year address pledge to do away with the unification mechanisms, said the administration is sympathetic to Chen's domestic constraints on the issue.
Nelson, citing top administration officials, said that such sympathy could help sway Washington's attitudes on cross-strait issues "in the event that President Chen can convincingly reassure the US on his longer-term intentions ... an opportunity which was offered [by Wilder and Hart] last week, apparently to no avail."



