Posted on 05/02/2006 10:52:38 PM PDT by tallhappy
US decides on transit plan: source
BUSH APPROVAL: Chen Shui-bian will not be allowed to land in the continental US nor stay overnight, officials said, adding that the US president had made the decision
By Charles Snyder and Nadia Tsao
STAFF REPORTERS IN WASHINGTON
Wednesday, May 03, 2006,Page 3
A US source said yesterday that US President George W. Bush will allow President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to transit through the US on his way to and from Latin America. Bush authorized Chen to stop in Honolulu, Hawaii, on his way to Latin America, and in Anchorage, Alaska, on his return flight.
However, Chen is only allowed to rest and refuel, and is not permitted to stay overnight in either city. The decision, which was proposed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, was made by Bush himself, US and Taiwanese diplomatic sources said.
Chen is scheduled to depart Taipei today for Paraguay. He will later visit Costa Rica for the inauguration of president-elect Oscar Arias before returning to Taipei May 11.
The Chen administration is also understood to be shocked and displeased with Bush's reponse to its request, and has called for more negotiations on the matter.
The US source said that the US Department of State and National Security Council presented Bush with a number of recommendations, and that the stopover itinerary that Bush ultimately decided on was the simplest among them.
Meanwhile, a state department official confirmed that the US would allow Chen to make transit stops, but would not provide specifics.
Close relations
"In keeping with our close and cooperative informal relations with Taiwan and our intent to work productively with President Chen Shui-bian in the years ahead, the United States is prepared to facilitate transits for Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian on his way to and from Paraguay and Costa Rica," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
He said that the request was approved on the basis of the safety, comfort and convenience of Chen, "while respecting the dignity of the traveler."
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister James Huang (黃志芳) yesterday ascribed the US' slowness in responding to Taiwan's request for Chen's stop-overs to Washington's preoccupation with Iran's nuclear program, with which the US needs China's support for a hardline approach towards Iran.
Huang said the procrastination was also due to the recent visit to the US by Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).
Taiwan filed the stopover requests with US officials April 21.
"The US-Taiwan negotiations over the transit stops were greatly affected by Hu's visit to the US, which had squeezed out the working time for both Taiwan and the US authorities over the matter," Huang said.
Chen had reportedly wanted to stop in New York City on his return trip next week.
Chen has not visited the East Coast of the US since September 2003, when he traveled to New York to receive a human rights award and made several public statements despite the vehement objections of China.
During that trip, his activities reportedly annoyed the Bush administration, which was then trying to improve relations with Beijing, after the then-chairwoman of the American Institute in Taiwan, Therese Shaheen, declared that Bush was "the guardian angel" of Chen's trip.
Restricted
In his first -- and only other -- trip to New York as president in 2001, Chen was more restricted, not being allowed to make any public statements, although he did give a speech to a large group of congress members, who chartered a military flight to travel from Washington to have dinner with him.
Since those two New York stopovers, Chen has been limited to West Coast and Southwest cities, including Houston, the home of the then-House majority leader Tom DeLay, a prominent supporter of Taiwan.
Additional reporting by Chang Yun-ping
It is a two-edged sword. If China has invested so much into America, it has a stake in our success and future. We can freeze their assets and investments.
Are you crazy? If things keep going as they are curently going the Chinese will own us in 30 years, in 50 years we will be a backward provence in the Chinese Empire. That is of course if China's Islamic pals don't nuke us first.
Brutal red communist Chinese dictator Hu gets the red carpet treatment while democratically elected Taiwanese President Shui-bian gets the cold shoulder. And it was President Bush's decision both times. There is something seriously wrong in the White House.
Chen Shui-bian will not be allowed to land in the continental US nor stay overnight, officials said, adding that the US president had made the decision
The one thing he doesn't need is to piss off Hu by allowing Chen to make a big deal of his stopping in the US. Hell, he's on his way to South America anyway!
Your reply makes absolutely no sense.
Jimmy Carter status is right around the illegal alien infested corner.
Is this a case of choosing your battles?
Really? Why should the Chicoms give a damn about the usa? They have a domestic market of over 1 billion people, sit next to another market of over 1 billion people and are surrounded by a Pacific Rim market in the many 100's of millions. So what is so great about a measly 200 million market 5,000 miles away?
Silly me. I guess I was mistaken when I believed all the bullstuff about "moral leadership" returning to the White House after the Clinton infestation was ended. You know, that quaint thing about right and wrong, good and evil. Hey, anything to get another vote.
By the way, do you get paid to carry the President's water all the time or is it just some bizarre hobby/fetish thing?
Yes he did. Clearly in the White House doctrine,a communist dictator spreads democracy much better than a duly elected president of a democratic republic, can't you see that?
Good point.
Do you also believe in the tooth fairy?
You need to learn how to spell permanent. China's receipt of permanent MFN status was linked to their joining the WTO.
Yes. It is anachronistic and makes no sense I was hoping President Bush would be the one who would change it to reflect reality. It fits perfectly of the Bush Doctrine of support and alliance with free democratic nations. It would be a crowning acheivement of president Bush and would be seen historically as the turning point for China being a free nation in the future.
That the President fell back in to the same old archaic (and more importantly dumb) ideas (almost superstitions) of Foggy Bottom and that ilk is what is disapointing.
These are the same group that has opposed and obstructed hi in the WoT and leak info and the like, yet he embraces the here.
Spiff, if you or many of the other anti-China people were in charge, I have no doubt I'd be seeing mushroom clouds off in the distance from my window here in central PA.
America benefits from China becoming more capitalistic and pluralistic. That's exactly what has been happening over the past 30 years. If it keeps on happening, the China-Taiwan problem will take care of itself. For now, I'm glad W is helping put some brakes on the TI movement.
I am a terrible spellers, it is almost like english is a second language for me. Oh well, if I see obvious errors I do use spell check but mostly don't.
I think you've got this right. If China invaded now, we would do nothing but issue meaningless condemnations, then forget about it in a year or two. We're becoming the U.N.
How? How does China's blend of communist Dictater/capitalist (kind of) economy benifit the usa?
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