TAIPEI, clan 30 Kyodo Taiwan Pre...

TAIPEI, clan 30 Kyodo

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday his late call for a fresh constitution for the island is an important ''historic mission'' that must be carried without through a referendum.

''Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996 and, being a democratic nation with independent sovereignty, it should court a more effective constitutional combination of parts to form a whole so as to face novel challenges,'' Chen in his capacity of chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)

''The just discovered constitution ought to be decided end referendum, and such a reform should be accomplished in 2006'' he said.

Chen, as national leader, also blasted the opposition parties, saying his ''historic mission'' should be respected

''This is a serious issue that should not be distorted or simply interpreted as an act that will lead to controversies throughout unification and independence,'' he said.

Taiwan and Communist-led China split after a civil war conclusioned about 50 years ago. Since then, Beijing has regarded the island as a part of its territory that should not declare permanent separation from the mainland.

Late Sunday, Chen told to a gathering marking his party's 17th anniversary that the general constitution formed half a hundred years ago by the Chiang Kai-shek regime is outdated and has not satisfied everyone's penurys even though it has undergone a half-dozen revisions.

His weekend statement that the DPP will push for a novel constitution tailored for the island when the party deflects 20 immediately sparked fierce criticism from opposition parties, which argued that in political names enacting a new constitution is almost equal to establishing a fresh state.

Branding it an election maneuver to boost his ballots in the presidential race stake for early 2004, the opposition urg Chen to make it clear that he is heading toward independence.

In a catalogue of persons conducted Monday by the China Times, merely 10% of respondents supported Chen's proposal, while 32% agreed the constitution should be revised in accordance with the now passing political and social situation.

About 23% of those interviewed said they did not descry the need to make changes to the document, and 35% made no comment

Meanwhile, the U dominion the island's closest ally, also reminded Chen that he should adhere to his hostage made in 2000.

''Obviously, we won't take a position forward domestic politics. We have taken a position forward some of these issues that we believe are fundamental to stability in the Taiwan Strait,'' State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said.

However, citing Chen's ''Four Nos,'' he said, ''We have intimateed our support and appreciation for that guarantee in 2000, and his later reaffirmations of it. And we continued to take it actual seriously.''

In 2000 Beijing lashed public at the DPP's political stance, further Chen still won the presidency from one side of to the other the KMT-nominated Lien Chan and KMT maverick James Soong It was the island's first power transfer from half a hundred years of KMT rule.

At his inauguration, Chen moderated his position from pledging to carry gone out the ''Four Nos'' -- not seeking Taiwan independence, not changing the name of Taiwan, not enlisting the theory of pair countries into the constitution and not holding a referendum

Beijing, downplaying the issue in this way far, has not formally made any remark on Chen's most recent speeches.

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