EU parliament urged to show 'goodwill' on Taiwan's UN bid

A senior MEP has thrown his weight behind fresh plans by Taiwan to participate ‘meaningfully’ in the activities of the UN specialised agencies.

Unlike in previous years when it has requested full membership of the UN, Taiwan now says it merely wants to be allowed to participate in one or more of the UN’s 16 specialised bodies.

These include the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Taipei will submit its request at the 63rd session of the UN general assembly in New York which starts on 16 September.

The move - which represents a significant departure for Taiwan - has been “fully endorsed” by centre-right MEP Georg Jarzembowski, chairman of parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group.

He said, “It is a perfectly reasonable and well-founded request and the very least China can do. After the success of the Olympics, it would represent an appropriate goodwill gesture on the part of Beijing."

The German deputy went on, “It is vitally important Taiwan is allowed to join such organisations, not just for Taiwan but for the rest of the world.

“For example, Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHO has been detrimental to the health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan  and foreigners residing in and travelling to Taiwan.

“But it also creates a weak spot in the global epidemic surveillance network which will harm the international community," said Jarzembowski, a vice president of the EPP-ED group.

Further reaction came from UK Tory MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, a vice president of parliament, who said, “I still think Taiwan should push for full membership of the UN.”

The fresh approach by the Taiwanese government for the country’s participation in the UN is seen as the first crucial test for recently-elected President Ma Ying-jeou’s diplomacy, which has been criticised by the opposition as giving up Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Since 1993, Taiwan’s allies have been trying to put the issue of Taiwan’s participation on the agenda of the UN general assembly but Beijing’s argument that Taiwan is part of China has prevailed.

Taiwan insists that as it cannot attend the conferences, mechanisms and activities of the UN specialised agencies, the welfare of its people as well as the interests of all humankind have been “seriously” jeopardised.

A Taiwanese official in Brussels said, “For instance, Taiwan has been campaigning for participation in the WHO for years but has been unable to establish direct access to and communication with the WHO regarding disease prevention.

“Taiwan is strictly restricted from attending WHO technical conferences and activities. As a result, Taiwan can neither acquire the latest medical and health updates nor receive timely assistance when epidemics occur.”

In addition, it is claimed that its exclusion from the global civil aviation organisation means Taiwan lacks “crucial” information with which to formulate domestic civil aviation rules.

“This creates a dangerous rift in global aviation security,” he said.

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