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KMT opposes third referendum: Wu

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) yesterday expressed the party's opposition to a third referendum to replace the two UN referendum bids, while urging the government to reshuffle the Central Election Commission (CEC).

"The KMT does not oppose the referendum, but we hope that the referendums can be held separately from the presidential election," Wu said after attending the party's forum on legislative affairs.

Wu was responding to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) plan to launch a "defensive referendum" if the two major parties fail to resolve the controversy surrounding the referendum seeking UN membership today when the Legislative Yuan opens its new session.

The party later decided on a total of 59 priority bills the caucus will handle during the session, seeking to delete the regulations regarding a defensive referendum in the Referendum Law (公民投票法) and prevent the president from launching a defensive referendum.

Other bills included drafts regarding the economy, government re-engineering, environmental protection and electoral affairs.

Wu said the party's caucus would not propose another referendum, adding that it would come up with a new method to express the country's desire to join international organizations.

Article 17 of the Referendum Law stipulates that the president may, following a resolution by the Executive Yuan, place national security matters before the public in a referendum when the nation is exposed to an external threat, otherwise known as a defensive referendum.

A defensive referendum is a presidential prerogative and does not require the consent of the legislature but only ratification by the Executive Yuan.

Wu said he had urged Chen to reshuffle the CEC and separate the referendums and presidential election, but the president had not accepted his advice.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has proposed holding a referendum on applying to join the UN using the name "Taiwan," while the KMT has suggested another referendum on "rejoining" the world body using the country's official name -- the Republic of China (ROC) -- or any other "practical" title that would uphold the nation's dignity.

DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who doubles as DPP chairman, has proposed that Chen call cross-party negotiations to work out a resolution to both sides.

Hsieh made the suggestion for fear that failure of either referendum may create a false impression in the world that people in Taiwan do not want to be part of the global body.

Meanwhile, President Chen yesterday expressed his desire to see the two referendum proposals seeking UN membership succeed so the world could hear the voice of the Taiwanese people.

During a meeting with former South Korean UN deputy secretary-general Kim Hak-su at the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon, Chen expressed regret over the removal of Taiwan's name from a Web site listing countries that have recognized the independence of Kosovo.

"It is unfair for the 23 million people of Taiwan that a sovereign state like Taiwan does not have the right to recognize another sovereign country," he said. "Taiwan has been excluded from the UN system for too long. The key to Taiwan's diplomatic predicament lies in China's pressure."

Although there is a long way to go for Kosovo to become a UN member, Chen said 19 countries have recognized Kosovo and its lack of UN membership does not mean it is not an independent sovereignty.

"Like Kosovo, Taiwan is not yet a member of the UN, but there are 23 countries that have diplomatic relationships with us," he said. "It is a fact and the status quo that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state."
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