Premier Su Tseng-chang to serve as special envoy in attending the inauguration of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh
Dec 06,2006 00:00
by
editor
Vice President Annette Lu announced yesterday that Premier Su Tseng-chang will serve as President Chen Shui-bian's special envoy in attending the Dec. 15 inauguration of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh. Lu made the remarks after a luncheon for legislators in Taipei, during which she expressed hope they would attend the Dec. 10 inauguration of the Pacific Congressional Caucus (PCC) of the Democratic Pacific Union (DPU), which she founded in August 2005.
Parliamentarians from more than two dozen countries will attend the inauguration, according to Lu.
Asked whether the PCC's inauguration is too close to Lu's Gambia visit, Lu explained that President Chen Shui-bian had originally asked her to serve as his envoy to attend the inauguration ceremony Nov. 24, but the inauguration was later postponed to Dec. 15.
As she attended the Gambian president's last inauguration, she requested President Chen send another envoy in her stead, and the president consented to the request.
As for another African ally Burkina Faso, Lu said the president had asked her to visit the West African nation when she is available, without detailing a specific time.
Asked when she plans to visit Burkina Faso, she said "we'll wait a while."
Lu said the upcoming PCC meeting will be a key event in Taiwan's diplomatic work, expressing hope for its success.
President Chen, during a Nov. 22 state dinner in the southern city of Kaohsiung for visiting Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, took the initiative to announce that Lu would visit the West African nation the following month.
Reports said that according to the arrangement, Lu will attend the Dec. 15 inauguration ceremony of Gambian president before proceeding to visit Burkina Faso.