Tuvalu, St. Vincent call for Taiwan's participation in U.N.

ROC Central News Agency

2018/09/28 16:34:11

New York, Sept. 27 (CNA) Two of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, Tuvalu and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on Thursday advocated for Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations system, during the General Debate session of the U.N. General Assembly.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele Sosene Sopoaga said the U.N. has to make the "necessary arrangements" to allow Taiwan's participation in its meetings, activities and mechanisms.

"The exclusion of Taiwan from the U.N. systems denies its 23 million people their fundamental rights to participate, benefit and contribute to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals," Sopoaga said in his address to the General Assembly.

Sopoaga said Taiwan is a responsible and able partner to his country and others around the world and "could only do more if it is allowed its rightful place and role in our global efforts."

He also expressed thanks to Taiwan for its assistance to his Polynesian island nation in its efforts to host the 50th Pacific Islands Forum of Leaders next year.

During the General Assembly, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves also advocated for Taiwan's right to participate in U.N. agencies.

He said the U.N., which justly counts among its member states populations as small as 10,000 people, "somehow continues to remain blind to the 23 million residents of Taiwan."

"There is simply no principled basis to deny Taiwan the right to participate in the work of the specialized agencies of the United Nations," the leader of the Caribbean country said in his address.

The support expressed by the leaders of the two countries has brought the total number of allies who have spoken up on Taiwan's behalf to eight, including Paraguay, the Marshall Islands, eSwatini, Nauru, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of Kiribati.

The leaders of three of Taiwan's allies, namely Haiti, Guatemala and Honduras, did not mention the issue during the week-long General Debate session.

(By Ozzy Yin and Lee Hsin-Yin)
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