KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
The two will meet before the Lantern Festival on the 15th of this month, the China Times Express said in a report.
Soong and Lien are under pressure to finalize the format of their cooperation because their failure to do so is likely to worry supporters of the pan-blue camp.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
In December last year, Lien and Soong announced their intent to field a joint KMT-PFP ticket in the election.
Successful integration of the pan-blue camp is seen as a major threat to the DPP.
Lien said at a press conference on Jan. 24 that the joint ticket would be decided no later than April.
The report also quoted a recent public-opinion poll conducted by the KMT showing 29 percent support for a Lien-Soong ticket, with Lien as presidential candidate and Soong as running mate, in contrast to 21 percent support for a Soong-Lien ticket.
Neither Lien nor Soong has explicitly said he is aiming for the top job, although KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (
The poll shows 25 percent support for a possible DPP ticket featuring President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).
Soong has not given any sign that he would accept the position of running mate alongside Lien.
Some PFP lawmakers suggested earlier that the joint ticket be decided on the basis of public opinion polls.
In response, yesterday's report quoted unnamed KMT sources as saying that their party preferred a negotiated arrangement.
While the KMT is not opposed to a democratic nomination procedure, the pan-blue camp may not have the time to undergo such a procedure, according to the sources.
Soong was placed second, closely behind Chen, in the 2000 election. Lien came in a distant third.
Independent legislator Sisy Chen (陳文茜) said different factions in the KMT and PFP may start pushing for other possible candidates if Lien and Soong fail to hammer out their ticket by the end of March, according to the report. By that time, Lien and Soong will be under more pressure to generate candidates through public opinion polls, the report said.
The paper also reported that the two parties have not ruled out the possibility of inviting party elders or honorable personalities to participate in the negotiation process and serve as witnesses in order to ensure that both sides keep their promises.
Lien is scheduled to start warming up for the presidential campaign with visits to Taoyuan and Taichung on Saturday. The PFP is also working to establish its own campaign team and policy think tanks in the coming weeks, the paper said.
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