Taiwan says near deal with China on torch relay

TAIPEI, Sep 7 (Reuters) Taiwan and China have tentatively reached an agreement to let the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch pass through Taipei, which rejected the emblem in April for political reasons, an official said today.

China has viewed self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as part of its territory rather than as a separate country since the island split from Mao Zedong's Communists after civil war in 1949. China has threatened to take the island back, by force if necessary.

After negotiating for about a month, Olympic committees on both sides are close to a ''basic consensus'' that would bring the torch to Taipei without disrespecting Taiwan, the island government's Mainland Affairs Council chairman, Chen Ming-tong, said today.

Chen would not elaborate on the agreement.

In April, Taiwan said it had rejected a suggested torch route because it connected Taipei to Hong Kong, implying that Taiwan was part of China.

As is the tradition, the torch will also pass through other major world cities.

''We urge the Beijing side to sign the consensus as soon as possible,'' Chen told a news conference. ''The biggest thing is not to belittle us. The torch is not a political thing, really.'' If Beijing does not ''belittle'' Taiwan again, 78.5 per cent of the island's population agree that the torch should come, according to a Mainland Affairs Council survey of 1,000 people.

A spokesman for the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) said talks were ''ongoing''.

''BOCOG has been talking to the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee on the basis of the Olympic charter, relevant IOC regulations and a spirit of equal consultation,'' said Sun Weide.

''We hope we can facilitate the common aspiration of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to hold the Olympic torch in Taipei.'' Reuters BJR DB1105