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Taiwan premier mum on coalition gov't, nuclear plant debate
Taiwan premier mum on coalition gov't, nuclear plant debate
TAIPEI, Dec. 29 (Kyodo) - By: Susanne Ganz Taiwan Premier Chang Chun-
hsiung refused Friday to say whether he would resign if the island's
constitutional watchdog rules that his decision to cancel
construction of a controversial nuclear power plant was
unconstitutional.
Chang, addressing a year-end news conference, said it would not be
appropriate for him to comment as it could be seen as an attempt to
undermine the independence of the Council of Grand Justices.
''We shouldn't speculate as to how the council will rule and talk
even less about what I will do if the council rules one way or
another,'' Chang said.
He expressed hopes, however, that once the council has handed down
its decision ''the whole controversy will be over and that all sides
will respect the outcome.''
Chang, a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP),
announced in late October that the nuclear power plant would be
scrapped, prompting pro-nuclear opposition parties, which control the
legislature to launch a recall drive against President Chen Shui-
bian.
In a bid to ease the political turmoil, Chang last month asked the 15-
member council to rule on the nuclear controversy. The council's
decision is expected in mid-January.
The premier expressed confidence in his decision to halt construction
of the plant, which would have been Taiwan's fourth, saying that
history will prove him right.
''From a historical point of view it won't matter how long I served
as premier, but that my decision set Taiwan's direction toward
becoming a nuclear-free homeland,'' Chang said.
Speculation is rife that Chang, who became premier in October,
succeeding Tang Fei of the major opposition Nationalist Party (KMT),
will have to step down if the grand justices rule that scrapping the
nuclear plant was unconstitutional.
Some local media, however, have suggested that the council's decision
could provide Chen with an opportunity to sack Chang, even if the
council sides with the government, and form a formal coalition
government with part or all of the KMT.
At the news conference, Chang was peppered with questions about the
possibility of a coalition government, but steadfastly refused to
comment on the matter.
''It is entirely the president's privilege to decide whether to form
a coalition government,'' Chang said.
He did, however, say that conditions ''are not ripe'' for a formal
coalition, pointing to the lack of consensus between the government
and potential coalition partners on major policies, the issues to be
tackled and the administration's overall direction.
When he took power in May, Chen -- who is the first non-KMT president
in 55 years -- refused to join with the KMT in a formal coalition
government, but several KMT figures have since joined the cabinet in
an individual capacity.
Over the past seven months, however, the KMT, fuming at its expulsion
from power, has used every opportunity to frustrate the government's
initiatives in the legislature, leading some to suggest that forming
a coalition government could be the only way Chen could get out of
his current predicament.
General elections that could bring the KMT's parliamentary majority
to an end are not slated until next December at the earliest.
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