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Negotiations to take place on Taiwan's first coalition government

Negotiations in Taiwan later today will seek to establish the island's first coalition government following historic elections overnight.

China correspondent Tom O'Byrne reports.

Results from Taiwan's Electoral Commission shows no single party winning enough votes to control the 225 seat assembly. But a big swing away from the once dominant Quomintang, or KMT, has given the party that supports the President Chen Shui-bian a chance to control the chamber for the first time. Analysts say President Chen's Democratic Progressive Pasrty appears to have won enough seats to begin talks later today with two other parties. One led by breakaway KMT member, James Soong, the other by a former KMT and Taiwanese President, Lee Teng-Hui. The coalition is necessary, say DPP supporters, because it gives Taiwan a much better chance at setting up talks with Communist China over a possible peace deal that eluded the politicians on both sides of the Taiwan Straits for 50-years.

2/12/01 7:37:55 | ABC Radio Australia News

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