Taipei, May 4 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian Friday praised the ideals and achievements of the European Union (EU), which is entering its 50th year, and appealed to EU for its support of Taiwan in the international community.
Highlighting the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat's refusal to accept Taiwan's request to become a WHO member under the name "Taiwan" and the fact that the United Nations Office in Geneva once again refused to issue press credentials to Taiwanese journalists to cover the World Health Assembly (WHA), Chen urged the EU to "extend more assistance to and support for Taiwan in international affairs."
"We deeply appreciate the EU's solid support for Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). With the WHA soon to convene, it is my earnest hope that EU delegates will also speak up for Taiwan at the assembly and join hands with us to safeguard the collective health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan, " Chen said at a Europe Day dinner hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the EU's 50th anniversary.
Citing the Freedom of the Press 2007 survey published by U.S.-based Freedom House Tuesday, in which Taiwan ranked No. 33 among the 195 countries surveyed and counted as Asia's most media-friendly country, Chen said it is ironic that Asia's freest press environment is denied the freedom to cover the WHA.
"Do not hesitate to do a good deed because it is trivial, and do not do an evil deed because it is negligible, " Chen said, using an old saying to encourage European countries speak up against China's relentless oppression of Taiwan.
He described European integration as "the grandest project in mankind's contemporary history" and in his speech lauded the EU's pursuit of four major objectives: peace, security, solidarity and progress.
Europe Day, May 9, is the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration in which former French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed a new form of political arrangement for Europe. Six countries decided in 1957 with the Treaty of Rome to build a European Economic Community, which is now known as the EU.