President Lee Teng-hui this morning meets with three groups of visitors from the Republic of Senegal, the Dominican Republic, and the Republic of Panama, respectively.
At 9:30 am, the Hon. Cheikh Abdoul Khardre Cissokho, president of the National Assembly of Senegal, and his eight-member delegation are accompanied by ROC Vice Foreign Minister C.J. Chen to the Office of the President for the meeting.
President Lee pays his respect to the government and people of Senegal for their strenuous efforts at pursuing freedom and democracy in the past years. The ROC and Senegal, he tells his guests, are both democracy- and peace-loving countries and their bilateral cooperation will be greatly enhanced in the future.
President Cissokho says that he is deeply impressed by the progress and prosperity of the ROC and that he has great expectation toward further cooperation between both countries.
Later on, President Lee receives Dominican Foreign Minister Eduardo Latorre and his wife, who are accompanied by ROC Foreign Minister John Chang and Dominican Ambassador to the ROC, the Hon. Leonardo Matos Berrido , to pay a courtesy call.
President Lee says he believes that Minister Latorre's visit will further cement the existing ties of friendship between both countries. And he expresses deep appreciation for the Dominican Republic's full support for the ROC in her bid for U.N. admission.
For his part, Minister Latorre reaffirms his government support for the Republic of China's participation in the international society, adding that both countries share the common ideals of freedom and democracy.
At 11:00 am, President Lee meets with Mr. Gerardo Gonzalez, chairman of Panama's ruling Revolutionary Democratic Party, who arrived in Taipei earlier this week for a visit.
The President says that he attaches great importance to his scheduled visit in September to Panama to attend the World Congress on the Panama Canal and that he has asked government agencies concerned to form a task force to work out various cooperative programs to boost the well-being of the people of both countries.
Mr. Gonzalez says that his country welcomes President Lee's visit, adding that he believes the visit will further cooperation between the ROC and Panama.
Stressing that Panama is a staunch friend of the ROC, Mr. Gonzalez notes that the government and people of Panama very much appreciate the ROC's longtime assistance in helping his country's development.
Dr. Ding Mou-shih, secretary-general of the ROC National Security Council, and Mr. Stephen S.F. Chen, deputy secretary-general to the President, are present in all three meetings.