Taipei to launch United Nations bid at 61st session of General Assembly

The 61st Session of the United Nations General Assembly will convene Sept. 12, and the ROC's diplomatic allies will present two proposals for inclusion on the agenda. One involves security issues in East Asia, focusing on the potential flash point of the Taiwan Strait in the period following North Korea's provocative test firing of missiles in July, while the other involves the right of the Taiwanese people to be represented in the United Nations. This latest bid for acceptance is the 14th year in a row that Taiwan has tried to regain its lost U.N. seat.

The bid for U.N. membership will be a continuous effort, even if it fails again this year, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Michel Lu said at an Aug. 11 press conference. Taiwan has failed in its previous 13 consecutive attempts to enter the United Nations, owing largely to deliberate obstruction from the People's Republic of China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan.

A feature of this year's bid causing differences of opinion on the island is the use of the name "Taiwan" on the formal application documentation. The name, to which Beijing is extremely sensitive, will be used almost exclusively in the text of the two proposals after a first reference to the nation by its formal name, the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the first paragraph. This is according to John Chen, director-general of MOFA's Department of International Organizations. Chen, speaking at the press conference, added that this is in direct contrast to past proposals, which used the name "Republic of China."

Sixteen countries that recognize the ROC have already signed a joint letter on the issue of U.N. representation for and participation by the people of Taiwan. This "participation proposal" was sent to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the afternoon of Aug. 10, requesting that the General Assembly acknowledge the rights of Taiwanese people and invite the duly elected representatives of Taiwan to participate in meetings and activities conducted by the United Nations and its subsidiary agencies, according to a MOFA press release.

The establishment of the new U.N. Human Rights Council last year reflects the extent to which the United Nations values human rights, the press release points out. In the letter on Taiwan's participation, the nation's allies stress that U.N. representation is a basic right of Taiwan's 23 million people. The continued exclusion of Taiwan from the United Nations violates basic human rights and harms the dignity of the people of Taiwan, it adds.

In addition, the representatives of 14 ROC allies with seats in the United Nations have also sent a joint letter to Annan urging that the world body adopt a proactive role in maintaining peace and security in East Asia. This proposal, referred to as the "peace proposal," calls on the U.N. leader to face up the responsibilities of keeping peace in East Asia, especially in the volatile Taiwan Strait area, by taking concrete action. The proposal directs the United Nations to urge East Asian countries to resolve their disputes through peaceful means and improve military transparency and confidence-building mechanisms, according to the MOFA press release.

The press release also hints that the peace proposal has been affirmed by nations that do not maintain diplomatic ties with the ROC. Those nations, which it does not name, believe that the United Nations is obligated to act to reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and it cannot continue to ignore China's threat to use force against Taiwan.

Lu explained that the scope of the security motion had been expanded beyond last year's focus on the Taiwan Strait alone, this time appealing for a more active U.N. role in ensuring peace and security in the entire East Asian region. With China's military budget showing double-digit growth for the 18th consecutive year, and the latest North Korean missile test sending shockwaves throughout the region, security in East Asia is becoming a major issue in global politics.

Meanwhile, Andrew Hsia, director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, said Aug. 10 that the public relations campaign to support this year's U.N. bid would focus on the keyword "UN-Human," which is meant to underscore the world body's inhuman treatment of the people of Taiwan. He added that the recent breaking off of diplomatic ties between Chad and the ROC would not affect the U.N. bid, and that the government would keep reminding the United Nations of the country's determination to be a meaningful part of the world body, said Hsia.

Two years ago, the ROC's U.N. campaign focused on the keyword "UN-Fair," to highlight the unfairness of Taiwan's exclusion. Last year, the campaign suggested the world body's 60th birthday would be "UN-Happy" with one member of the global family absent.