**Taiwan leader in Abu Dhabi after denied landing in Lebanon **
14 minutes ago
TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian’s plane departed from Abu Dhabi heading for Paraguay after he was barred from landing in Lebanon, the foreign ministry reported.
The plane had been in the air for 10 hours when it landed at Abu Dhabi airport, a reporter from the Taipei-based cable CTI news network said.
“We had had no idea where we were heading for until the plane touched down,” the reporter said.
Foreign ministry spokesman Michel Lu confirmed Chen had taken off from Abu Dhabi and was “heading for the direction of Paraguay”.
Lu was tight-lipped when asked to comment on local television reports that Chen would make a stop in the Dominican Republic, another of only 25 countries which recognize Taipei rather than Beijing.
“Anyway, the president will be there (Paraguay) in time to attend the scheduled activities,” Lu said.
The Lebanese authorities refused Chen permission to land in Beirut after a strong protest from China, a Lebanese government source said.
“It’s no surprise that China is using every possible measure to squeeze Taiwan’s international space,” Lu said.
Beijing opposes any overseas visits by top government officials from Taiwan, which it regards as part of its territory awaiting reunification – by force if necessary.
Chen is also visiting Costa Rica, another diplomatic ally. But he unexpectedly dropped plans to stop in the United States en route to Latin America, angered by a US decision not to allow a higher-profile visit.
US authorities said Chen could only make refueling stops in Hawaii or in Anchorage, Alaska rather than in the mainland United States.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060504/wl_asia_afp/taiwanuaelebanonlatam;_ylt=AufcU2mjl1wwGVPyDRFFAj0Bxg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA–
WOW, I mean WOW. A leader of one country (and its Taiwan) denied LANDING in another country (a no country like Lebanon) because China wasn’t happy. I wonder if this Landing was “planned”, “negotiated ahead of time” etc.