eTaiwannews.com
2003-08-08 / Central News Agency /

Fifteen diplomatic allies of Taiwan Wednesday requested the United Nations to include the issue of Taiwan's representation in the agenda of the 58th U.N. General Assembly.

The 15 countries said in an explanatory memorandum attached to the request that it is necessary for the U.N. to reconsider the issue of admitting Taiwan to the world body, because U.N. Resolution No. 2758, adopted during the 26th General Assembly, did not answer the question of Taiwan's representation. The 58th U.N. General Assembly will open in New York next month.

Meanwhile, the representatives of Tuvalu, Nicaragua and The Gambia attended a news conference Wednesday to highlight their support for Taiwan's bid to join the U.N.

Sosene Sopoaga, representative of Tuvalu in the U.N., said many U.N. member countries strongly believe that U.N. Resolution 2758 is unfair and erroneous, and has not been corrected by the world body. He stressed that the 23 million people on Taiwan have made great contributions to the world. If the world recognizes their contributions, Taiwan should be admitted to the world body. He said Tuvalu will cooperate with other U.N. members in supporting Taiwan's bid to join the world body.

The Gambia's representative, Grispin Grey Johnson, said if any country is excluded from the U.N., the world body is incomplete and is unable to fully fulfill its responsibilities.

Johnson said that every country has the right to join the U.N. and that The Gambia will continue to push the U.N. to accept Taiwan as a member.

Representative Eduardo Sevilla of Nicaragua said that, although Taiwan's bid to join the U.N. has been repeatedly shot down, Taiwan has not been defeated. The world body will be enriched when Taiwan's hope to join the U.N. is fulfilled, he said.

Andrew L. Y. Hsia,director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, said at the news conference that Beijing's "one China" policy cannot block Taiwan's efforts to join in international activities and that Taiwan will persevere in trying to attain its goal of becoming a full U.N. member.