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No change in status quo despite U.N. bid referendum: MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

2007-12-25 19:03:58

    Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Taiwan's planned referendum on pursuing U.N. membership under the name Taiwan will not alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) reiterated Tuesday.

    MOFA acting spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh made the comments in a news conference after Singapore's Foreign Ministry aired its objection to Taiwan's referendum plan earlier the same day.

    According to Singapore, a referendum on applying for U.N. membership for Taiwan is provocative and would increase Taiwan's isolation in the international community.

    Singapore's Foreign Ministry also stressed its "one China" policy and its opposition to either side of the strait taking unilateral move to change the status quo between the two sides.

    Expressing regret over Singapore's negative response to the issue, Yeh ascribed the development to pressure from China.

    Yeh said that holding the referendum merely aims to transmit the keen desire of Taiwan's people to join the United Nations, and asserted that doing so will neither contribute to a change in Taiwan's official designation, nor alter the cross-strait status quo, or cause instability in the region.

    According to a ranking MOFA official, Singapore's negative reaction to Taiwan's planned referendum is a follow-up to explicit opposition from the United States.

    The official, who preferred anonymity, criticized the U.S. side for dancing to Beijing's tune and voiced grave concerns that pressure from China and the United States would negatively affect international opinion toward Taiwan.

    Nevertheless, he expressed hope that the international community would have faith in Taiwan's ability to adequately hold the referendum and deal with cross-strait relations.

    U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said last Friday in a year-end news conference that the United States supports a "one China" policy and opposes Taiwan's referendum to join the United Nations, describing the move as a "provocative policy." "It unnecessarily raises tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and it comes with no real benefits for the people of Taiwan on the international stage. This is why we oppose this referendum, " Rice said.

(By Flor Wang)

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