US urges Taiwan's Chen to drop UN referendum bid

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) The United States today called on Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian to drop a proposed referendum on how the island can apply to join the United Nations, saying the move would raise tensions with China.

Taiwan has failed in repeated attempts to rejoin UN organizations under its official name, the ''Republic of China,'' but the island's ruling party has sent election authorities a draft referendum asking voters whether the government should apply for UN membership simply as ''Taiwan.'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that any such vote would not change Taiwan's UN status but ''would increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait.'' ''Such a move would appear to run counter to President Chen's repeated commitments to President Bush and the international community,'' he told a news conference, referring to pledges not to change the status quo with China.

''We urge President Chen to exercise leadership by rejecting such a proposed referendum,'' McCormack said.

Beijing has asserted sovereignty over Taiwan since winning the Chinese civil war in 1949 and has vowed to bring it back under mainland rule, by force if necessary. Beijing took over China's seat in the United Nations from Taipei in 1971.

Under the ''One China'' policy, Beijing insists that countries cannot have official relations with both China and Taiwan. China's UN allies far outnumber those of Taiwan, which is now recognized by just 24 countries around the world.

McCormack repeated the US stance that it supports Taiwan's inclusion in international organizations that do not require statehood for membership, but does not back membership for the island in the United Nations or other bodies that allow only states to join.

REUTERS KN SBA BST0330