By Martin Banks - 6th March 2008
A top UN official has called for China’s dispute with Taiwan to be settled by ‘peaceful’ means.
China has pledged to reunify Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary.
It currently has over 1,300 missiles targeting its small neighbour across the Taiwan Straits which Taipei sees as an act of provocation.
But, speaking in Brussels on Wednesday, UN deputy secretary-general Asha-Rose Migiro, said she hoped the cross-straits issue could be resolved peacefully.
She said, “This is a very sensitive issue but I would hope the matter can be dealt with through political dialogue.”
The Tanzanian took up her current post on 1 February 2007 and is a former foreign minister in her home country.
She was in the European parliament to take part in a debate on women’s role in society with two of the assembly’s committees : foreign affairs and development.
The New York-based official will also take part in an international conference on women at the European commission in Brussels on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a leading MEP says that Taiwan's decision to hold a referendum on UN membership should be addressed via diplomatic channels.
The comments, by Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, chairman of parliament’s influential foreign affairs committee, comes as Taiwan prepares to hold a referendum on its ongoing efforts to join the UN.
The poll, criticised by the EU and U.S, both of which support the so-called ‘One-China’ policy, will take place on 22 March, the same day as the country’s presidential elections.
More than 1,000 international observers, including a delegation from the EU, will monitor the eagerly-awaited election.
Speaking to this website, Saryusz-Wolski, a centre-right deputy and former government minister in Poland, said, “Other countries have referendums on a whole range of issues so I suppose Taiwan can do likewise.
"However, I have to stress that the EU fully supports the One-China policy which currently exists. This is a long-standing policy, which I fully endorse, and one which is not likely to change in the near future.
"I also would point out that concern has been expressed by the U.S and others about this proposed referendum.
"This is a long-standing policy, which I fully endorse, and one which is not likely to change in the near future."
At the same time the widely-respected Pole also cautioned against the “use of force or blackmail” - by either side - order to settle the China-Taiwan dispute.
Many MEPs, include ALDE group leader Graham Watson, support Taiwan's efforts to become a fully-fledged member of the international community by being allowed to join organisations like the UN and WHO.
Taiwan has mounted a high-profile campaign in recent months to highlight the damaging impact of its exclusion from such institutions.
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