No "Internal Affairs" Again.

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The U.S. State Department on Monday expressed indignation with a congressman it accused of barging in on a private dinner with President Chen Sui-bian who was transiting through Los Angeles.

Spokeswoman Lula Rodriguez, however, absolved Chen from any blame in the impromptu meeting late Sunday with Republic lawmaker Dana Rohrabacher who ignored State Department pressure not to see the Taiwan leader during his overnight stopover.

“We understand that Congressman Rohrabacher did go uninvited to President Chen Shui-bian’s hotel in Long Beach and visited briefly with President Chen,” Rodriguez said, adding that after the short meeting. Chen returned to his dinner.

She noted that before his arrival in Los Angeles, Chen himself had cancelled plans for a more formal meeting with Rohrabacher.

“President Chen clearly stated that his limited time in Los Angeles precluded the possibility of meeting with members of Congress,” Rodriguez said. She declined to criticize Rohrabacher directly but made clear the State Department’s unhappiness with his decision to proceed with the meeting.

“Many members of Congress understand and endorse the United States’ government approach on transit of Taiwan senior leaders, activities that are private and consistent with the purpose of a transit stop,” she said.

Many people in Japan had extend invitations in various ways hoping that ex-President Lee’s visit there.