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Taiwan would like U.S., Japan, EU to remain neutral on U.N. bid

ROC Central News Agency

2007-09-13 20:14:08

    Taipei, Sept. 13 (CNA) The government would like the United States, Japan and European Union countries to adopt a neutral stance on Taiwan's bid to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said Thursday.

    Lin Yung-lo, director of the MOFA's Department of International Organizations, made the remarks while briefing the media on progress in the ministry's promotion of the country's U.N. membership application.

    Taiwan began its quest for U.N. representation in 1993, but this year marks the first time it has applied under the name Taiwan instead of its official title -- Republic of China -- under which Taiwan was represented until 1971.

    Lin said the MOFA has stepped up communications with the United States, Japan and EU member states to seek their understanding about Taiwan's U.N. bid, in the hope that they will adopt a neutral stance on the issue.

    In addition, he went on, the MOFA has also been trying to establish contact with Srgjan Kerim of Macedonia, president of the 62nd U.N. General Assembly, which will begin its annual general session Sept. 18, in an effort to convince him to deal with Taiwan's membership application fairly and impartially.

    Asked about major countries' attitudes toward Taiwan's U.N. bid, said the MOFA cannot make predictions. "What we can do is strengthen communications with them to seek their understanding and support for our cause," he added.

    According to Lin, a relatively positive development in this year's U.N. membership quest is that many countries have passed clear messages to Taiwan about their dissenting views on the U.N. Secretariat's expanded interpretation of Resolution 2758 to claim that "Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China."

    Resolution 2758, passed in 1971, gave the China seat to the PRC at the expense of the ROC, recognizing the PRC as the sole representative of China. However, it does not touch on issues regarding Taiwan at all.

    Lin said the United States, Japan and some EU member states have informed Taiwan of their disagreement with the U.N. Secretariat's interpretation.

    This indicates that "Taiwan and China are unrelated" is a general perception among major countries around the world, he said.

    The 25-member U.N. General Committee is expected to hold a meeting Sept. 19 to discuss whether to include Taiwan's membership application into this year's General Assembly agenda, Lin said.

    In the past two years, the General Committee consistently arranged for two of Taiwan's supporters to debate with China and one of its allies on the topic on the pretex of saving time.

    It is hoped that such a mode will not be repeated this year, Lin said, adding that the issue on whether to include Taiwan's membership application into the General Assembly agenda should be debated more extensively this year.

(By Sofia Wu)

ENDITEM/J