Tue, Sep 18, 2007 - Page 3 News List

INTERVIEW: Koo hopes to reassure Americans

AD CAMPAIGN: The former senior presidential adviser said the US was wrong to view the DPP's referendum on a UN bid as an effort to change the country's name

By Ko Shu-ling  /  STAFF REPORTER

He urged Japan to play a decisive role in Taiwan's UN bid by taking advantage of the US-Japan two-plus-two minister's dialogue framework to help Taiwan.

Although Koo said that he realized Chen's frustration over the lack of official communication channels with the US, the president should have discussed the new approach to join the UN with Washington to prevent strong opposition.

"The problem here is not lack of communications but indifference to them," he said, adding that the same thing happened when Chen was determined to abolish the National Unification Council and National Unification Guidelines last year.

Koo also criticized former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) for saying that Taiwan doesn't have the qualifications needed to be a UN member because its legal status is undetermined.

Koo said he was very disappointed Lee failed to resolve the problem during his presidency.

While Lee urged Chen to leave the UN campaign to whoever succeeds him next March, Koo said the responsibility was on Chen's shoulders as long as he was president.

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