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U.N. COMMITMENT TO PEACE, SECURITY QUESTIONABLE: MOFA HEAD

ROC Central News Agency

2005-09-14 18:31:56

    Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) Minister of Foreign Affairs Tan Sun Chen expressed regret Wednesday at Taiwan's 13th consecutive failure in its bid to enter the United Nations and questioned the U.N.'s commitment to world peace and security.

    Two proposals submitted by Republic of China allies supporting Taiwan's U.N. seat bid failed to be listed for screening by the U.N. General Committee to decide whether or not they will be put on the U.N. General Assembly's agenda.

    The U.N. General Committee rejected the two proposals that the question of U.N. membership for Taiwan and that peace in the Taiwan Strait be put on the agenda for the assembly's 60th session, which opens on Wednesday, after debates between representatives from Gambia and China and between Chad and Pakistan were conducted.

    Unlike previous years, Taiwan's diplomatic allies presented two proposals to the U.N. Secretariat this year -- "that the U.N. play an active role in ensuring peace in the Taiwan Strait" and that "the U.N. recognize the Taiwan people's right to representation" -- in the hope that both proposals would be put on the U.N. agenda.

    Chen offered his gratitude toward the ROC allies for their support for Taiwan. The "peace" proposal was submitted by 15 ROC allies, while the "representation" proposal was submitted by 12.

    He expressed regret over Taiwan's new setback, pointing out that the founding of the United Nations in 1945 was a commitment to peace after years of war, but adding that today's U.N. has a responsibility to work to prevent the outbreak of military conflict in every region around the world.

    Despite the setback, Chen said Taiwan will not be defeated spiritually and should stick firmly to international mainstream values and stand on the right side of history. So long as the people of Taiwan remain resolved in achieving their goal, they will make it one day, he said, adding that "nothing is impossible in politics."

    The foreign minister also pointed out that the Taiwan opposition leaders' visits to Beijing has been used and quoted by China as reference in open debates on Taiwan's U.N. bid. This should prompt the Taiwan public to conduct soul-searching about the entire situation, he said.

    Meanwhile, Vice Foreign Minister Michael Ying-mao Kau lashed out at the United Nations for its failure to demonstrate international justice and righteousness.

    Kau said that as a citizen of Taiwan, he will lodge protests in the sternest terms against the U.N. for reneging on its founding spirit of safeguarding world peace and security.

    Since 1993, Taiwan has tried every year through its diplomatic allies to have its U.N. membership bid placed on the General Assembly's agenda. However, it has been unsuccessful due to Beijing's obstruction.

    When the United Nations was founded in 1945, the Republic of China was one of its founding members. However, it has been shut out of the body since 1971 when U.N. Resolution No. 2758 gave the "China" seat to the People's Republic of China at the ROC's expense.

(By Deborah Kuo)

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