Photospray at St. Regis Hotel

QUESTION: What did you talk about today?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: What didn’t we talk about today? We had a full range of discussions with our Chinese hosts on bilateral matters. Unilaterally -- the question of the Korean peninsula, Taiwan, Hong Kong, I talked about Iraq. But the majority of my conversations were on the US-PRC bilateral relationship.

QUESTION: What are the prospects for six-party talks?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think both the US side and the Chinese side are hoping to talk soon. I don’t want to handicap them. I’m not a betting man.

QUESTION: Any comment on the Taiwan referendum?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: President Bush has said very clearly that from the Unites States point-of-view, we oppose any unilateral action that would alter the status quo by either side. In that regard the referendum raises some series questions. I’ve said before that referenda generally are reserved for issues that are either very difficult or very divisive. This referendum seems to be neither. So it raises questions about why this referendum is being put forward.

It’s something that we’re looking at very carefully and studying very carefully, not only the words which are written on the paper, but also the context in which it’s being developed and the way it is used domestically. It’s very dynamic and indeed very fluid.

QUESTION: Will you meet Chen Yunlin, the Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Yes, I’ll meet him shortly. I’m going there now.