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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ DIPLOMACY

MOFA offers condolences

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed condolences for the deaths of Guatemalan Interior Minister Vinicio Gomez and Vice Interior Minister Edgar Hernandez, who died in a helicopter crash in northern Guatemala. MOFA Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said that the Taiwanese ambassador to Guatemala, Sun Ta-chen (孫大成), had immediately contacted the Guatemalan government after the crash to offer condolences on behalf of Taiwan and foreign minister Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊), who was the ambassador to Guatemala prior to his appointment as minister. Guatemala is one of Taiwan’s 23 allies and one of its 12 in the Central and South American region. The two countries forged relations in 1935. In related news, Carlos Esteban Larios Ochaita, who is secretary-general to Guatemalan President Alvara Colom, will arrive in Taiwan tomorrow for a six-day visit.



■ FISHING

Tuna accord signed

An agreement aimed at suspending longlining for tuna was signed by fishery groups in Taiwan, Japan, China and South Korea amid soaring fuel prices, a report by Japan’s Kyodo News International said on Friday. The accord was also signed with the intention of restoring tuna resources that are in decline, it said. The groups belong to a Tokyo-based organization that covers most of the world’s tuna fishing boats and is tasked with promoting responsible tuna fishing. The report said that 204 of 387 Taiwanese longliners, 40 of the 120 Chinese boats, and some 10 percent to 20 percent of the 160 South Korean longliners had suspended operations as of Friday. Under the framework of the agreement, some 30 percent of a total of 1,200 tuna fishing boats around the world are expected to eventually stop fishing. If fuel prices continue to rise, the report added, the scale of the suspensions might also be expanded.



■ EVENTS

Foundation plans forum

The Foundation of International and Cross-Strait Studies announced yesterday that it would hold the “Taiwan-Japan Forum” Taipei 2008 International Conference on July 20. The conference, to be held at a Taipei hotel, will focus on the topics of “building a framework for order in the East Asian region,” “trends on the Korean Peninsula,” “the United States’ position in Asia” and “the development of Taiwan-Japan-China relations,” the foundation said. Participants will include Japanese Senator Hayashi Yoshimasa and Japanese House of Representatives member Seiji Maehara. This year’s gathering will be hosted by Chang King-yuh (張京育), chairman of the Taiwanese foundation, and Yoshio Ookawara, head of the World Peace Research Institute.



■ RELIGION

Buddhists to walk up hill

The Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society is scheduled to celebrate its 25th anniversary today, with an expected 1,000 followers walking up the hill on which the monastery sits to “experience the hardship of its founding.” The group was founded in 1983 in Taipei County by Buddhist Master Hsin Tao (心道法師) with the aim of promoting Buddhism as well as harmony and co-existence of different religions and communities. The celebration will start with the welcoming of a statue of a golden Buddha to the monastery, followed by an activity in which 1,000 followers will hike from the foot of the hill to the monastery, which is situated on the top of the ridge. A hall in the monastery that followers are normally not allowed to enter and a grotto where Hsin Tao practiced Buddhism will be open to the public.
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