Friday, September 17, 2010

Civic group to appeal in New York for Taiwan's U.N. bid

Taipei, Sept. 17 (CNA) A pro-Taiwan independence civic group embarked Friday on a weeklong journey to New York City -- site of the United Nations General Assembly -- to advocate the country's right to bid for U.N. membership under the name Taiwan.

"The annual trip to New York marks a continued effort by the people of Taiwan since 1979 to express their wish to be recognized by the U.N., " said Cheng Ing-erh, a Presbyterian pastor and the leader of the 22-member group, said at a press conference.

Cheng said the trip, organized by the Taiwan United Nations Alliance and backed by Taiwan's Presbyterian Church, also represents opposition to President Ma Ying-jeou's current U.N. policy.

On Sept. 2, Deputy Foreign Minister Shen Ssu-tsun told a press conference that Taiwan is maintaining its goal of "meaningful participation" in international organizations, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) , this year, the third year Taiwan has implemented the policy since Ma took office in 2008.

Shen said Taiwan will keep appealing for continued global support for its bids to join international organizations rather than raising tension by directly bidding for U.N. membership. The policy shift, according to Shen, has paid dividends, evidenced in the dramatically reduced tension across the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly in the past two years.

Taiwan has not been represented in the U.N. since 1971, when the Republic of China's seat was given to the People's Republic of China. Taiwan has tried unsuccessfully to have the world body consider the issue of its representation since 1993, but these efforts have always been blocked by Beijing.

The group is scheduled to stage a rally in New York, where the 65th U.N. General Assembly began Sept. 14, in which it will deliver speeches and distribute fliers to let more people understand the pro-independence group's position.

"The mission cannot be seen as a failure simply because Taiwan's U.N. bid has been denied over and over again, " said Yao Chia-wen, convener of the pro-independence Taiwan Nation Alliance, one of the protest group's supporting organizations.

The group is scheduled to return to Taiwan Sept. 25. (By Chris Wang) ENDITEM/J