Despite the concerns of PFP members, KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (
"From the memorandum of understanding and both Lien's and Soong's remarks, it is clear that the Lien-Soong ticket is taking shape," Lin said, referring to the memo signed on Friday between the two party leaders on the formation of a KMT-PFP alliance and a joint ticket in the election
While the memo did not explicitly state that the alliance would field a Lien-Soong ticket, Lien's remark that he appreciated Soong's unselfishness to pair with him was largely considered as a hint that Lien would end up running as president and Soong as vice president.
On Wednesday, Soong hinted at his willingness to play second fiddle to the KMT chairman, saying that he "respects Lien's opinion with regard to the pairing combination."
PFP spokesman Chang Hsien-yao (
"One can only be sure that the two parties have reached a consensus on fielding a joint ticket for the presidential race, but as for the so-called Lien-Soong ticket with Lien running as the presidential candidate and Soong his running mate, it is not yet a sure thing," Chang said on Friday.
The spokesman said that if the ticket had been decided, the parties could have stated so on the memo and the joint statement. Chang said it is unfair to draw conclusions on the pairing before the parties' finalize the move at their respective nomination processes through their national congresses at the end of next month or in early April.
Comparing KMT-PFP cooperation to a wedding, Lin said that the PFP members are like the bride's parents unwilling to marry their daughter off, adding that the party's reaction is understandable.
"KMT members will continue to communicate and negotiate with the PFP to construct a positive and cooperative atmosphere," Lin told the media prior to attending the party's impromptu Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday.
The meeting was called to affirm Friday's agreement between the two parties.
According to KMT rules, the memo and the joint statement must be affirmed by the party's Central Standing Committee and Central Review Committee before they are forwarded to the national party congress for the nomination process which will finalize the ticket.
Since one month's notice is needed to convene a national party congress, an impromptu Central Review Committee meeting has been slated for tomorrow to affirm the memo and the joint statement.
The day after reaching the agreement with Soong to run together, Lien said that such a pairing wasn't what he always had in mind.
"I [Lien] had once contemplated a different combination," KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (
"However, if KMT-PFP cooperation is the expectation of the general public, I am willing to take on this responsibility," Tsai said, quoting Lien.
According to Tsai, everyone at the meeting approved and supported the memo and the joint statement.
"We believe that as long as we in the KMT continue to uphold a positive attitude, we can in the immediate future establish a joint campaign team with the PFP and forge ahead with the KMT-PFP partnership," Tsai said.
Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
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