KMT STUDYING FEASIBILITY OF 'DIRECT LINKS-ARMS PURCHASE' TRADE-OFF
ROC Central News Agency
2006-02-09 00:51:34
Taipei, Feb. 8 (CNA) The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) will study the feasibility of a trade-off between two long-stalled projects with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, a party official said Wednesday.
KMT spokesman Chen Ming-yi said the proposed trade-off between the KMT-favored early opening of direct transport links across the Taiwan Strait and the DPP administration-initiated plan to procure three big-ticket weaponry items from the United States was discussed at the weekly meeting of the KMT's decision-making Central Standing Committee (CSC).
The trade-off was broached by KMT Legislator Ting Shou-chung, who is also a KMT CSC member.
According to Chen, the proposal was hotly debated at the CSC weekly meeting chaired by Wu Poh-hsiung, a KMT vice chairman. Many CSC members, including John Kuan, another of KMT vice chairmen, Taichung Mayor Jason Hu and Legislator John Chiang.
After heated discussions, Chen said, Wu ruled that the proposal be sent to the KMT's policy research department for a comprehensive review. The department is also required to come up with a report on the propriety and feasibility of the trade-off proposal, Chen added.
The KMT and its "pan-blue alliance" ally, the People Fist Party, have used their slim majority to block the DPP administration's plan to purchase eight diesel-electric submarines, six Patriot anti-missile batteries and a squadron of 12 Orion submarine-hunting aircraft for more than a year.
(By Sofia Wu)
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