MOFA: Chen to visit to Marshall Islands in Oct.

Yu Teh-sheng, deputy director general of the MOFA Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, indicated at the MOFA’s routine press conference that President Chen is scheduled to attend the second summit of heads of state between Taiwan and its South Pacific allies Oct. 12-13.

According to the announced plan, Chen will take off Oct. 11, and return to Taipei Oct. 14. The president will not fly to other allied nations during the four-day journey, Yu said.

Taiwan maintains diplomatic relations with Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Nauru in the South Pacific region.

Yu said presidents of those countries will join the 2007 summit, except President of Kiribati Anote Tong who has informed Taiwan that his vice president will participate in the meeting on his behalf.

Tong is occupied by his re-election campaign, Yu added.

Meanwhile, sources at the MOFA revealed that an aircraft with a capacity of 200 people will be commissioned to fly President Chen and a large group of his entourage directly to the Marshall Islands.

At the press conference, Yu also addressed the high-profile meeting between South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-il, which began in Pyongyang, North Korea earlier the day.

Yu said the MOFA has been paying close attention to the regional situation and interactions between the Korean leaders.

Speaking of the possibility that the United States might strike North Korea from its list of countries that support terrorism and set up a liaison office in Pyongyang after the communist country promised to give up its nuclear facility in September, Yu said Taiwan will also begin efforts to forge goodwill between Taiwan and North Korea, and explore private channels in search of opportunities for bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

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