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First lady foresees improved EU ties

First lady Wu Shu-chen hands Liberal International's 2001 Prize for Freedom to President Chen Shui-bian yesterday after returning from Europe. PHOTO: TONY K. YAO, TAIPEI TIMES

On her return from Europe yesterday, first lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) said there are "bright prospects" for Taiwan to expand its diplomatic efforts in Europe and that she worked hard to make a success of her week as a de facto diplomat.

"Seeing all those avenues filled with famous shops in Paris, I just sped by in a car. I spent all of my time working for this country and its people, not wasting a single penny," Wu, who has a reputation for being an avid shopper, said at a press conference at CKS International Airport yesterday morning.

After completing a whirlwind one-week tour of Europe, Wu was welcomed back yesterday by her husband President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), her son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘) among others.

Representing Chen on an unprecedented overseas trip, Wu said only two things were on her mind throughout the journey -- the acceptance of an award on behalf of her husband in France and the meeting with the first couple of the Czech Republic in Prague.

With her peculiar sense of humor, the candid Wu said, "I would not go as far as saying how successful I have been in completing my tasks. But the president said I did a good job and that I should embark on a similar trip in the future.

"That remark took me by surprise. If I had known that, I would have done my work in a shabby manner."

Wu accepted the 2001 Prize for Freedom in Strasbourg, France, on behalf of Chen on Wednesday after all EU countries refused to grant Chen a visa so as not to raise Beijing's ire following a de facto EU visa ban on the five highest ranking officials from Taiwan. The prize is awarded by Liberal International, a London-based association of liberal parties from more than 60 countries.

On Friday, Wu was invited to a lunch hosted by Czech President Vaclav Havel and his wife Dagmar Veskmova in their summer house before visiting a local foundation led by the Czech first lady.

Wu remained upbeat about Taiwan's diplomatic endeavors in Europe despite China's continuing obstructions.

"There are bright prospects for expanding our diplomacy in Europe ... with plenty of room for breakthroughs," Wu said.

Chen expressed similar optimism about expansion of ties with Europe.

The EU would remain one of the focal points of Taiwan's foreign relations efforts, especially with the prospects of the EU and Taiwan exchanging representative offices following Taiwan's WTO accession, Chen said.

Wu said not only the incumbent speaker of the European Parliament but also European media showed concerns over the EU's de facto visa ban on Taiwan's top officials.

"When Lord Russell-Johnston granted the award to me, more than 110 members of the European Parliament stood applauding for over 10 minutes. Then I felt that [the] president, who in my eyes was nothing but ordinary while at home, was indeed great and I really felt very proud of him," Wu said. "It's such an irony ... that Chen was awarded with the freedom prize and yet he had no freedom whatsoever in choosing to accept the prize in person."

See story:
Chen gives wife a warm welcome home
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