----- Original Message -----
From: "AFP" <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups:
clari.world.asia.taiwan,clari.world.africa.western,clari.world.asia+oceania,clari.w
orld.mideast+africa
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 5:00 PM
Subject: Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu denied visit to Senegal
TAIPEI, Dec 18 (AFP) - Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu has been denied a
visit to Senegal, which could serve as a sign of a deterioration in the already
chilled relations between the two countries, it was reported Tuesday.
Lu had planned to include Senegal in her African trip this week,
the United Daily News said.
But her plans were rejected by Dakar since Taiwan had declined
to join an aid program in the country, the paper said.
The presidential office announced late Tuesday night Lu, originally scheduled
to leave for Gambia Tuesday, had to alter her itinerary due to the problems of
flight.
However it would not say whether the trip was either postponed or cancelled.
Senegal, one of 28 countries recognising Taiwan instead China, had turned
down Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's offer for a visit during his first overseas
trip in August 2000.
Lu is to attend the inauguration of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh during
the three-day visit in a bid to strengthen ties with the African nation, an official
from her office told AFP.
"The trip is very simple in nature. The vice president has no plan to visit other
nations," he said, but stopped short of commenting on the report.
Lu's office had declined to disclose itinerary of the low-profile trip, which
might include a stopover in Europe, to avoid angering Beijing.
China regards Taiwan as part of the Chinese territory to be reunified and
insists the island has no right to conduct diplomacy.
All European nations, except the Holy See, recognises Beijing instead
Taipei as the legal representative of all China.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.
The 28 countries maintaining official ties with Taiwan are largely
underdeveloped nations in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.
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