President Chen Shui-bian on August 13 met with Nicaragua Vice President Jaime Rene Morales Carazo and his wife at the Presidential Office. President Chen, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), expressed his welcome and gratitude to Vice President Morales for his attendance at the Second General Assembly of the Democratic Pacific Union, where he will deliver a speech at the opening ceremonies.
President Chen said that on January 10th this year, the eve of the inauguration of the Nicaragua president and vice president, he met with President-elect Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra at the Sandinista National Liberation Front headquarters in Managua. During the meeting, President-elect Ortega proclaimed that Nicaragua will continue its diplomatic relationship with the Republic of China (Taiwan). President Chen expressed his gratitude for this decision. He also said he appreciated statements made a number of times by Vice President Morales prior to his trip to Taiwan saying how Nicaragua treasures the diplomatic alliance between the two countries.
Vice President Morales, on behalf of Nicaragua President Ortega, will participate in the upcoming Summit of the Heads of States and Governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Central America and the Dominican Republic that will be held in Honduras. President Chen said after the conclusion of the summit, he will personally visit Nicaragua and meet with President Ortega. President Chen also noted that except for his visit in 2000 to Nicaragua to meet with Former President Arnoldo Aleman Lacayo, all of his other travels to that country had been to attend summits or inaugurations. As a result, he has not had the opportunity to make a formal state visit to that nation. This time the arrangements for his upcoming trip to Nicaragua will be perfect.