Mon, Jan 29, 2001 page1

• Chen holds firm on anti-nuclear stance

  POWER PLANT The president attended a meeting of legal scholars yesterday, stoking the political fire as the Legislative and Executive Yuans prepare to do battle over the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant

  • By Lin Mei-chun / STAFF REPORTER
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  In his clearest signal to the public that he plans to stand behind the government's controversial cancellation of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday attended a forum that supported the legalities of the decision.

  At the legal forum all of the scholars unanimously said that the decision to scrap the plant was neither illegal nor unconstitutional.

  "The verdict made by the Council of Grand Justices (大法官會議) did not say the discontinuation of the power plant was unconstitutional," said Chen Tzu-yang (陳慈陽), a law professor at National Taipei University. Chen further pointed out the ruling of the Council of Grand Justice implied that the legislature was only entitled to participate in decision-making processes, but was not empowered to make decisions.

  

  President Chen Shui-bian takes notes during a forum organized by the Taiwan Law Society yesterday on constitutional issues surrounding the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.

  PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES

  The president stayed for the entire 90-minute forum organized by the Taiwan Law Society (台灣法學會), but did not make any comments while he was there. His presence at the meeting alone, however, was enough to add fuel to the flames of contention that has been rising over the issue during the Lunar New Year.

  Lawmakers are scheduled to hold a provisional session to address the controversial issue tomorrow and Wednesday. Today lawmakers are expected to begin discussing the nuclear power project. While lawmakers gather inside the legislature a group of environmental activists plans to launch a 30-hour sit-in outside parliament offices.

  The government is placing much emphasis on the opposition lawmakers and their claim to withdraw the Executive Yuan's decision.

  If the legislature passes a resolution to compel the government to withdraw its decision following Premier Chang Chun-hsiung's (張俊雄) report on the Cabinet's decision to halt the power plant, "it will cause the collapse of any reasonable interaction between the Legislative Yuan and Executive Yuan," said Tsai Tzung-jen (蔡宗珍), associate professor of law at Tamkang University.

  "By challenging against the Constitution [it] will lead to endless political struggle."

  The political struggle was showing no signs of slowing down yesterday as the opposition continued to attack the DPP, saying it was going against the will of the public.

  Newly elected secretary-general of the KMT, Cheng Yung-chin (鄭永金) said that after hearing the opinions of other party leaders around the island over the Chinese New Year holidays, the KMT realized that public opinion was on their side.

  "Even DPP supporters have displayed displeasure toward the recent performance of the government, seeing it as being anti-democratic," Cheng said.

  It is widely expected that opposition lawmakers will pass a resolution to continue building the plant. DPP authorities, however, have repeatedly stressed their anti-nuclear stance, saying they would not accept the result of the resolution and insisting that negotiations be conducted between the two sides.

  If the negotiations fail to reach any consensus, Chen would then step in to act as a mediator.

  PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安) said that she doubted any result would be yielded through negotiations.

  "The Executive Yuan has made clear that it would decline to accept the result of the resolution. Under such a hostile atmosphere, what can the negotiation achieve?"

  After three hours of coordination meetings between DPP lawmakers and members of the Cabinet yesterday evening, the convener of the DPP's legislative caucus Chou Po-lun (周伯倫), showed no signs of bowing out at the last minute. In fact the DPP's stance appeared firmer than ever.

  "There is no such thing as accepting or not accepting the resolution of the Cabinet. According to the Council of Grand Justices' ruling, if the Legislative Yuan still has a difference of opinion with the Executive Yuan, then both sides should enter into negotiations," Chou said at a late night press conference.

  Secretary-general of the Executive Yuan Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) said before the meeting that the Cabinet's stance in support of the premier's decision remained intact, and if anybody were to take responsibility for the contention, "Premier Chang and myself would shoulder all responsibilities."
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