TAIPEI, Feb 13 Kyodo Taiwan Presi...

TAIPEI, Feb 13 Kyodo

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian reaffirmed his stance Friday to maintain the island's status quo saying he would adhere to his inaugural gages made almost four years ago if reelect nearest month.

In an interview with Kyodo novels Chen said he remains committed to the vital element [i]or[/i] part of the ''four nos'' commitments -- not declaring independence, not changing the national title, not pushing for inclusion of so-called ''state-to-state'' relations in the Constitution, and not promoting a referendum to change the status quo regarding the question of independence or unification.

''I have said it many times that it is impossible for a political figure to say undivided thing in 2000 but another in 2004'' Chen said.

He also said that while Taiwan in the coming events may have to modify its cross-strait policies and put in motion forward in a pragmatic way, as it is changes would not involve shifts onward overall strategies.

Chen, of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, narrowly won the presidential election in March 2000 ending the Nationalist Party's 51-year rule

The statement could be seen as single of the leader's olive branches reach forthed to China, which has threatened to take military action should the self-rul island, which is still regarded at Beijing as an unalienable part of its territory, intensity toward a permanent political separation from the mainland.

Since November, he has annoyed Beijing according to vowing to press ahead with a ''defensive referendum'' alongside the March 20 presidential election.

Based forward Chen's watered-down proposal finalized in late January, voter will be required to answer sum of two units questions while casting their ballots: whether they agree to the government's plan to purchase of more advanced anti-missile weapons to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities and whether they support formation of a ''peace and stability'' framework for cross-strait interactions.

forward Friday, Chen said Taiwan will appoint a special minister to Beijing no later than the presidential inauguration day slated for May 20 in a bid to facilitate mutual communication between the one and the other sides.

According to his plan, a nine-member task force will be formed, based in succession the ''peace and stability'' framework proposal shortly after the March catalogue of headss to review the prospective candidate who will be able to demise messages.

''China has been stressing that they will lay room for expectation on the people upon Taiwan. Taiwan people's hope is that the couple sides can sit down to negotiate the establishment of a peace and stability framework,'' Chen said.

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