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3 March 2006
WASHINGTON - The United States said it expects Taiwanese officials will correct the record on its decision to abolish the China Unification Council, and restated its opposition to any unilateral change in Taiwan's status quo.
We have seen reports that ... there is no distinction between abolish and ceasing activity and that the effect of Taiwan's action earlier this week was to abolish the Council, US State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said on Thursday in a statement.
We have been informed, however, that the reports misquoted Taiwan officials, he added.
We expect the Taiwan authorities publicly to correct the record and unambiguously affirm that the February 27 announcement did not abolish the National Unification Council, did not change the status quo, and that the assurances remain in effect.
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian defied pressure from Beijing and Washington by deciding on Monday to formally close down the advisory council and scrap the accompanying guidelines on reunification with China.
The council was considered largely symbolic and had been dormant since Chen was elected president in 2000 but his decision infuriated Beijing, who accused independence-minded Chen of pushing the region towards disaster.
Our understanding from the authorities in Taiwan was that the action Taiwan took on February 27 was deliberately designed not to change the status quo ... Our firm policy is that there should be no unilateral change in the status quo, as we have said many times, Ereli said.
Chen has defended his decision, saying it was prompted by Beijing's persistent military threat and its attempts to use non-peaceful means to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. |
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