Vice President Annette Lu (
"In the early stages, secret envoys can be a channel. But under a democratic system, cross-strait problems should be resolved through a channel subject to public supervision," Tang said during the general interpellation session in the legislature.
Lu agreed saying that she was not surprised about the existence of envoys.
"The question is whether or not a close adviser to the president can respresent Taiwan's 23 million," Lu said.
Following recent exposure of the existence of cross-strait secret envoys during the administration of former president Lee Teng-hui (
Tang said he does not think that President Chen Shui-bian (
Tang said that before the establishment of an official channel of communication, secret envoys can be forerunners.
He said that the existence of the secret channel will never undermine the national interest, as long as the making of the nation's cross-strait policy is conducted under a democratic framework.
"Since Taiwan is a democratic society, there is no reason to worry about it even if there are secret envoys," Tang added.
In a meeting with a group of KMT legislators yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao (
"In a system stressing transparency, secret diplomacy will eventually be exposed," Tien said.
Tien said although secret envoys may serve certain functions under specific circumstances, the format should be avoided in the handling of cross-strait relations, in light of their sensitivity.
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