Bush defers Taiwan's Aegis request: official

WASHINGTON (AFX-ASIA) - President George W. Bush has deferred Taipei's request for the Aegis radar system but left open the option of providing it to counter future military threats from Beijing, a White House official said.	    Bush decided to "keep open the possibility of providing Aegis in the future in light of the evolving security situation and the PRC (People's Republic of China) air threat to Taiwan," said the official, who declined to be named.	    Instead, Taiwan will acquire four Kidd-class destroyers which will be available by 2003 compared to 2010 at the earliest for Aegis.	    Washington also agreed to provide Taipei up to eight diesel submarines, 12 P-3C "sub-hunting" patrol aircraft, self-propelled artillery and a technical briefing on PAC-3 missiles that Taiwan may request in the future, the official said.	    The White House official stressed that the "the EP-3 (April 1 reconnaissance plane) incident was not a factor in the decision. The decision is based solely on statutory obligations" under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.	    The official said China has increased military spending and is acquiring and deploying arms "in ways that seem to be directed toward non-peaceful means of resolving differences with Taiwan," forcing the U.S. to bolster Taiwan's capabilities. 

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