Ma Ying-Jeo, chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party in Taiwan, said on Thursday that the two sides across the Taiwan Straits did reach a consensus in 1992 to accept the one-China principle, which is a fact that cannot be denied, according to media reports reaching here from Taipei.

Ma said the "1992 Consensus" did exist, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which now leads the Taiwan authorities, may disagree with the spirit of the consensus, but should not denythe fact that there exists such a consensus.

Ma recalled that the consensus was reached when he was still "vice-minister" of the "Mainland Affairs Committee" under the Taiwan authorities. Following many exchanges of letters and documents, both sides agreed to accept the one-China principle with their own interpretations.

"Without the '1992 Consensus,' it would have been impossible for any cross-Straits exchanges and interactions to take place," Ma added.

Ma, also mayor of Taipei, made the remarks in an interview with the local press on Thursday afternoon, according to Taiwan media reports.

The remarks came after Taiwan authorities' leader Chen Shui-bian again denied the existence of the "1992 Consensus" on Thursday morning.

The "Wang-Koo Talks" and four agreements from the talks were made possible because of the Consensus, said Ma.

The talks he mentioned refer to the landmark meeting in 1993 between Wang Daohan, president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Koo Chen-fu, chairman of the Taiwan-based Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) in Singapore in April 1993. It was the first ever high-level, non-governmental talks across the Taiwan Straits.

Commenting on Chen Shui-bian's recent remarks on abolishing the "National Unification Council (NUC)," Ma said Chen had breached the promises he made himself in 2000 and 2004 that he will not do so during his office terms.

On May 20, 2000, Chen promised not to declare "Taiwan independence," incorporate the "two states" idea into the "constitution," change the so-called country's name, hold a "referendum" on "Taiwan independence," or to abolish the "NUC" andthe "National Unification Guidelines."

The "NUC" was established in 1990 by the Taiwan authorities headed by Lee Teng-hui, and fourteen meetings were held after its establishment. No "NUC" meeting has been held since Chen Shui-bian became head of the Taiwan authorities.

The "National Unification Guidelines" were issued in 1991, saying both the mainland and Taiwan are under the sovereignty of China and promoting the state's reunification should be the common task of all Chinese. The guidelines also outlined a three-phase goal for the realization of China's reunification.

Political commentators said Chen's remarks proved that he triedto salvage his power in the Democratic Progressive Party at the cost of provoking tension across the Taiwan Straits.

An editorial of the Taiwan-based United Daily News on Jan. 30 said it is quite sure that Chen Shui-bian has no credibility.

Source: Xinhua