US urges Taiwan to apply to join WHa as observer

Washington, Apr 13 (UNI) US State Department officials have said it would be more appropriate for Taiwan to seek accession to the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO), as an observer, rather than seeking to join the WHO as a full member under the name ''Taiwan.'' The State Department officials in charge of East Asian affairs said yesterday the United States has always encouraged Taiwan to seek ''meaningful participation'' in international organisations and has believed that the people of Taiwan are capable of making extraordinary contributions to the world health arena and that they should enjoy the same relevant rights as other citizens in the global community, reports the Taiwanese Central News Agency (CNA).

They said the 23 million Taiwan people's opportunities to make contributions to world health affairs will be impeded if Taiwan is barred from ''meaningful participation'' in WHO activities, adding that Taiwan is entitled to that right and privilege.

However, the officials also said it is the United States' set policy not to support Taiwan's pursuit of joining international organisations where statehood is required for membership, adding that the United States supports Taiwan's seeking to join the WHA as an observer.

The State Department officials made the remarks after Taiwan's foreign minister, James Huang, confirmed in Taipei yesterday that President Chen Shui-bian had written a letter to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan the day before in which the president stressed that based on the WHO's spirit of protecting the health of all peoples around the world and the notion that medical care knows no borders, Taiwan has every right to apply to join the WHO as a full member.

As a matter of strategy, Huang said, Taiwan will adopt a three-pronged approach this year to facilitate its bid to join the world health regulatory body, specifically continuing to seek observer status in the WHA; continuing to seek ''meaningful participation'' in WHO technical conferences; and applying for full membership in the WHO under the name ''Taiwan.'' Meanwhile, the State Department officials reiterated the US stance on cross-strait relations, saying that the United States does not support Taiwan independence and opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by either Taiwan or China.

President Chen's ''five noes'' pledge announced in his inaugural speech in 2000 has been the bedrock of regional peace and stability in East Asia, they said, adding that whether Chen will deliver on his promise of not seeking independence will be a good test of his leadership, reliability, and his ability to handle foreign relations, protect Taiwan's interests and secure cross-strait stability.

They stressed that seeking to join the WHO as a full member under the name ''Taiwan'' does not comply with President Chen's pledge.

UNI