Taiwan Poll Recount Agreed

Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian, agreed yesterday to a recount of votes cast in Saturday's controversial election to try to end the turmoil that has gridlocked the nation's political heartland since he scraped back to power with a majority of less than 0.2%.

But his concession failed to satisfy thousands of demonstrators who have defied police orders to leave a 72-hour rally outside the presidential palace until a recount is confirmed and an independent investigation launched into the attempted shooting of Mr Chen on the final day of the campaign.

The disruption caused by Mr Chen's narrow victory has seen the defence minister offer to resign, stock prices plunge and foreign governments give only the most tepid of endorsements of the new administration.

Publicly, Mr Chen denies opposition claims that his Democratic Progressive party staged the shooting and invalidated ballots to clinch victory, but yesterday he acknowledged the concerns.

"I will not oppose a full and immediate recount," he said.

"Some people have asked if the shooting was real or faked. I could understand such doubts because the campaign was so heated," he added.