Text: Gilman Hails Award for Taiwan's Vice President Annette Lu
(Lawmaker praises Lu's efforts to resolve tensions with China)

Representative Benjamin Gilman (Republican of New York), the chairman emeritus of the House International Relations Committee, praised Taiwan's vice president as she was awarded the World Peace Prize in Washington, D.C. November 29.

Gilman, a long-time supporter of Taiwan's democratic government, said Vice President Annette Lu had worked hard to find ways to resolve tensions between Taipei and Beijing.

"It is the threatening posture of the totalitarian dictatorship in Beijing that causes regional instability," Gilman said in a statement released by his office.

Following is the text of the November 29 statement from the office of Representative Benjamin Gilman:

(begin text)

GILMAN STATEMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL'S HONORING TAIWAN VICE PRESIDENT ANNETTE LU

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (20th District - NY), Chairman Emeritus of the House International Relations Committee, joined Rep. Frank Wolf (10th District - VA) to announce the International Peace Council's awarding of their highest honor to Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu.

Congressman Gilman made the following statement: "I want to join with my good friend and colleague Congressman Wolf in commending Annette Lu for being awarded the World Peace Prize by the World Peace Prize Awarding Council."

"This past summer I attended the historic 2001 Global Peace Assembly which was held in Taipei and organized by Vice President Lu and her good volunteers. She worked day and night to bring together Nobel Peace Laureates and other notable experts to seek their advice to find ways to peacefully resolve the tension across the Taiwan Straits."

"The government of the People's Republic of China continues to blame the peaceful policies of President Chen and Vice President Lu for the tension across the Taiwan Straits. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is the threatening posture of the totalitarian dictatorship in Beijing that causes regional instability. Another outrageous suggestion was made by Beijing soon after the tragedy of September 11 when communist officials equates democracy in Taiwan and the freedom struggles in Tibet and East Turkestan as terrorism."

"Nothing could be further from the truth. It is the People's Republic of China that has armed rogue nations with weapons of mass destruction. The leaders of the PRC should keep in mind that President Bush has warned many times that if you arm a terrorist you are a terrorist. Vice President Annette Lu, President Chen and His Holiness the Dalai Lama are peace makers."

"Accordingly we are very pleased with the decision by the World Peace Price Awarding Council to award Vice President Annette Lu the World Peace Prize."

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)


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