The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is grateful to its diplomatic allies for submitting a proposal to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in support of the fundamental rights of Taiwan's 23 million people to participate meaningfully in the activities of the United Nations specialized agencies.
Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrew Hsia said at a press conference in Taipei on Aug. 14 that seventeen diplomatic allies of Taiwan submitted earlier in the day to the UN Secretariat a proposal titled "Need to Examine the Fundamental Rights of the 23 Million People of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Participate Meaningfully in the Activities of the United Nations Specialized Agencies" to be put on the provisional agenda of the General Assembly as a supplementary item. The 63rd session of the UNGA will open on September 16.
The main thrust of this year's proposal is to request the General Assembly to pass a resolution recommending the UN specialized agencies to accept the meaningful participation of Taiwan's 23 million people in their activities, according to Hsia.The seventeen diplomatic allies are the Republic of Palau, Tuvalu, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, the Kingdom of Swaziland, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
Hsia expressed his appreciation to the diplomatic allies for their enthusiastic support and friendship, and urged mainland China to understand the aspiration of Taiwan's people in this regard and show its good-will and flexibility.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) pointed out in a press release that Taiwan's absence since 1971 from all kinds of conferences, mechanisms and conventions under the UN specialized agencies has created a major gap in the UN system. Given the broad consensus over UN participation in all segments of society in Taiwan, and in order to protect the rights and interests of the people of Taiwan, as well as to fulfill its duty to give back to the international community, the government has decided to continue its UN campaign.
However, MOFA noted, Taiwan's appeal this year is pragmatic, flexible and non-confrontational, and is centered on participating meaningfully in the UN specialized agencies that can influence the wellbeing of the people of Taiwan. MOFA hoped this moderate approach will gain broader support from the international community and allow Taiwan to gradually gather momentum in laying the foundation for its long-term goal of participating in the UN system. In addition, MOFA said, the government will fulfill this mandate in adherence to the principles of "dignity, autonomy, pragmatism and flexibility."
MOFA reiterated that to effectively address issues concerning the welfare of mankind in this era of globalization¡Ðbe they related to economy, culture, education, health, transport, finance, telecommunication, environmental protection, sustainable development, human rights, anti-drug trafficking or counter-terrorism, etc.¡Ðrequires the concerted collaboration of all nations. Being the most important multilateral platforms for dealing with global issues, it said, the UN specialized agencies should open their arms to the participation of all members of the international community based on the principle of universality.
The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) therefore calls upon the international community to support Taiwan's international participation, MOFA concluded. |
