| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Lebanese authorities prevent Taiwan president from landing |
| 2006-05-04 |
| Beirut - The plane of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian was banned Thursday from landing at Beirut international airport, Lebanese security sources said. Lebanon, which has diplomatic relations with China, received a complaint from the Chinese ambassador to Lebanon and that is 'why Lebanon banned the landing of the plane,' the sources said. According to the same sources, the plane, which had been in the air for ten hours, landed at Abu Dhabi airport. It was not immediately clear if Chen was there for a refuelling stop or a visit before he flies on to Paraguay, one of the 25 countries which recognize Taipei rather than Beijing. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province which must be reunited with the mainland. Taiwanese media said Chen scrapped his presidential jet's refuelling stop in Alaska apparently out of anger at Washington's refusal to allow transit through a large US city for fear of offending China. His plane was to make a refuelling stop in an unannounced country, possibly not revealed because the country has diplomatic ties with China. Taiwan's Broadcasting Corp. of China (BCC) speculated that the Boeing 747-400 carrying Chen and his entourage might refuel in Libya or the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Transit through the UAE, which also recognizes China, is a possibility as Chen paid a visit there in September and last week Taiwan's China Airlines launched a regular Taipei-Abu Dhabi flight. Taipei consulted with US officials for a month on Chen's transit on his way to Paraguay and Costa Rica. On previous visits to Latin America, he transited through major cities, including New York, as the aircraft cannot make the trans-Pacific flight without refuelling. US-Taiwan ties have soured since February when Chen scrapped the National Unification Council, a forum for talks on eventual reunification with mainland China. Chen summoned Stephen M Young, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan, to his office on Tuesday and demanded a transit through New York or he would not transit through the US at all, Taiwanese press reports said. Chen is on his way to visit Paraguay from May 4-6 and Costa Rica from May 7-9. He will attend the inauguration of Costa Rican President-elect Oscar Arias on May 8. Speaking to reporters before his departure from the Chiang Kai- shek International Airport, Chen said Taipei is willing to hold dialogue with China, but China has rejected Taipei's peace overtures. 'In the past year, I waved 40 olive branches to China, but China ignored it. Instead, it has increased military threats and is trying to suppress our international space,' he said. Chen is accompanied on his trip by a 60-member entourage made up of officials, reporters and business leaders. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #3 HHHHHHHmmmmmmm. In other news, GAS PRICES > local Guam price signs at several Guam stas. have gone up to US$3.10/3.11 from US$3.05/3.06. MEDIA-ANNOUNCED price per gallon for regular unleaded has gone up again from the previously [media]announced US$3.15 to US$3.17 as of this post. BUT-T-T, despite ALL OF THESE NEW PRICES the PUMP GAUGES/METERS at some stations have REMAINED at US3.33+ per gals. Time to send out ELLERY QUEEN. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-05-04 22:30 |
| #2 Damn high gas prices, even world leaders have trouble getting a fill-up. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-05-04 22:09 |
| #1 China is not even a "great power", far less a "super power" and countries show such deference? What will happen in 20 years? We will all have to kow tow at the side of the road when a visiting Chinese official drives by? |
| Posted by: john 2006-05-04 17:55 |