Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said the meeting between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Monday could provide `the spark' for future cooperation.
"Their conversation `sparked,' although they did not find any common ground during the meeting," Su told reporters yesterday.
"We want to affirm it, encourage and welcome more talks or conversations like this in the near future," he said on the legislative floor in response to a question from People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟).
Ma, however, said yesterday that the meeting was counterproductive and the possibility of a second meeting was slim.
Su said Chen had invited Ma to discuss more issues of concern to the economy and people's daily life in the future instead of just political issues.
"I think Chairman Ma has received the message," he said.
He said Monday's session had established a good model for meetings between political parties, adding: "It was an ignition. A very powerful ignition."
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus yesterday backed the idea of a second meeting on economic issues.
DPP caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) said it was a pity that the two leaders did not reach consensus, but only elaborated their own positions.
If the pair could meet again and concentrate on economic policies, it would be a more effective and meaningful meeting and one that could meet the public's expectations, he said.
"The legislators could make laws in terms of the economic issues that [President] Chen and Ma reach a consensus on. We also urge the KMT to attend the conference on sustainable economic development to be held by the government in May or in June," Chen Chin-jun said.
Ma told reporters yesterday that he was disappointed with Monday's outcome.
"If President Chen had shifted his focus to livelihood and economic issues, then it would have been worthwhile. But I guess the result was the opposite of what we wanted," he said.
He also denied that he had acted as a messenger for the US, and said his suggestion of a meeting had been the "last effort to persuade him [Chen] that there is room for cross-strait relations to develop."
"I hope that he can go ahead and do things the KMT is not entitled to do. We do not mind letting him have all the credit. We just want to save the economy," Ma said.
Pan-green camp leaders, including Su and DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun, expressed a willingness to meet with Ma. The KMT boss, however, showed no interest in meeting with any DPP leaders in the near future.
"If Premier Su has ideas, he can just put them into practice ? Any further meetings would depend on timing and the issues. Some meetings are helpful, but others aren't," he said.
Additional reporting by Jewel Huang
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