By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
President-elect Lee Myung-bak Tuesday called on the pro-government party to come to a compromise on the government reorganization plan with the main opposition party no later than Feb. 12.
If the National Assembly fails to meet the deadline, the incoming government will be launched without Cabinet ministers.
Lee said he hopes partisan interests don't impede the new government from the start.
The incoming government will be inaugurated on Feb. 25.
``I sincerely request that the party leaders review the transition team's proposal in the negotiations. I hope that the National Assembly will help the new government start its work without any barriers from the start,'' Lee said.
Leaders of the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP) and the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) started the negotiations to narrow the gap regarding the government downsizing plan proposed by the team last month.
Political observers said seeing the parties reach an agreement will be difficult as the two sides has shown different stances on the abolishment of the five ministries.
The team's proposal said that the current 18 ministries will be downsized to 13 by merging overlapping functions among ministries.
UNDP Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu reiterated his objection to the abolishment of the Ministry of Unification.
``The people express concerns over the disappearance of the ministry handling inter-Korean affairs along with the Rural Development Administration,'' said Sohn.
Rep. Woo Sang-ho, a spokesman to the UNDP, said that the party's presidential candidate Chung Dong-young shared the concern. Sohn and Chung met Tuesday.
Pro-government party officials said consensus building needs to be made regarding the downsizing plan, indicating that the negotiation may not be completed by Feb. 12.
The main opposition party set the Feb. 12 deadline for the parliamentary approval for the downsizing plan.
The UNDP officials' reaction met a backlash from GNP lawmakers.
Floor leader Ahn Sang-soo of the GNP accused UNDP leaders for failing to present their preferred version of the reorganization plan.
``Fifteen days has passed since the reorganization proposal was made public by the transition team, but the pro-government party has not presented an alternative plan,'' Ahn said.
The GNP floor leader said the UNDP is trying to cripple the new government.