Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian urged mainland Chinese leaders Wednesday to put aside conflict and faithfully work for permanent peace in the Taiwan Strait as well as for Asia-Pacific and global peace.
Chen made the call while meeting with five Nobel Peace Prize winners who have converged in Taipei to take part in a "Voice from Taiwan: Peace and Love" campaign, also known as the 2001 Global Peace Assembly, organized by Vice President Annette Lu.
Chen first extended his hearty welcome to the five Nobel laureates, saying their visit is a great encouragement to the Republic of China's efforts to pursue democracy and maintain peace.
Despite mainland China's perennial military threat, Chen said, Taiwan managed to complete its historic transition of power between different political parties in the last year of the 20th century. "The 23 million people of Taiwan used love, hope and confidence to overcome hostility, threat and fear. They also used their sacred ballots to prove to the world their firm belief in such universal values as freedom, democracy and peace," Chen explained.
Noting that peace is a human being's highest rational pursuit, Chen said he deeply appreciates the arrival of the five Nobel Peace Prize winners to witness Taiwan's achievements in pursuing democracy and promoting peace.
Chen quoted a Buddhist scripture passage--"Anyone who lays down the butcher knife to repent can become like Buddha"-- to urge leaders in Beijing to put aside any notions of conflict and to work for peace.
As the ROC's head of state, Chen said he must follow the common will and determination of the 23 million people of Taiwan to pursue permanent peace. "I earnestly hope that the top leaders on the other side of the Taiwan Strait can fully understand the true meaning of `putting aside conflict to create peace' so that the people on both sides can join forces to contribute to regional and world peace," Chen stressed.
For his part, former South African President Fredrik W. de Klerk, a co-winner of the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, said that at present, conflicts rage in several places in Asia, including Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.
Against this backdrop, de Klerk said defusing cross-strait tensions is critical to maintaining Asia-Pacific regional peace and stability.
De Klerk said if mainland China regards Taiwan as an enemy, it should sit down and talk with Taiwan to resolve bilateral disputes.
No matter how cross-strait relations develop, de Klerk said he does not want to see the ROC become more like the People's Republic of China. "I hope to see the PRC become more like the ROC, and I believe that this is a common expectation of the entire free world," de Klerk added.
Former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez, the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize winner, said that cross-strait disputes should be resolved through peaceful means and that resorting to the use of force should be condemned.
The three other Nobel laureates--former Polish President Lech Walesa, anti-landmine activist Jody Williams, and Joseph Rotblat, an anti-nuclear expert -- also expressed their hope that the stalled cross-strait dialogue can be resumed quickly and that all cross-strait issues can be resolved peacefully.