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Taiwan launches 14th bid to join UN
2006-08-13
Taiwan said it had launched its 14th bid to join the United Nations and urged the international body to grant the island a seat to help promote regional peace. "We urge the international community to recognize the legitimacy of the 23 million Taiwanese people in participating in the UN ... Shutting Taiwan out is violating basic human rights and dignity of our people," said foreign ministry spokesman Michel Lu. "Tensions in East Asia have tightened since North Korea test-fired missiles and the UN should take a more active role in maintaining peace and security in the Taiwan Strait and the region," Lu added. Taiwan was replaced by China in the world body in 1971. The island's previous annual efforts since 1993 to gain a UN seat have failed under objections from Beijing. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and condemns its UN campaign as a move toward declaring formal independence. Lu urged China not to thwart the island's latest bid, so as to avoid "stirring up negative sentiments of Taiwanese people and causing irreparable damage to cross-strait ties." Taiwan's latest UN campaign comes after it lost ally Chad to China on Saturday in a diplomatic setback. The development forced Taiwan's premier Su Tseng-chang to cancel a scheduled trip to Chad for the inauguration of Idriss Deby as the African country's president for a third term. Only 24 countries recognize Taipei over Beijing as the legal government of all of China. The UN General Assembly is expected to debate whether to table Taiwan's membership bid after it convenes on September 12. But observers said Taiwan's effort was likely to fail again this year. Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war and Beijing has threatened to invade should Taiwan declare formal independence.
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