Taiwanese opposition refuses to hold talks with president after failed recall bid

The opposition was mulling new ways to shake up the government after Tuesday's unsuccessful attempt by lawmakers to pass a motion calling for a referendum to recall Chen. The opposition claims that Chen should be sacked because he's incompetent and his family is corrupt.

Photo: Taiwanese opposition refuses to hold talks with president after failed recall bid

Taiwanese opposition refuses to hold talks with president after failed recall bid

But Chen repeated his call for the opposition to end "narrow-minded political struggles" so that Taiwan's democracy and economy would have a brighter future.

Vice President Annette Lu told reporters she urged the opposition to meet with Chen and resolve their differences. She said she made the appeal to Nationalist Party leader Ma Ying-jeou, who's expected to run for president in 2008, the AP reports.

But Ma told reporters he declined the vice president's invitation. "We don't believe the atmosphere is right for high-level contacts between the ruling and opposition parties."