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TAIWAN
CAUCUS URGES POWELL TO HAVE U.S. SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF TAIWAN ON
FLOOR OF MAY 2003 WHO SUMMIT IN GENEVA
In
a February 24, 2003 letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,
64 members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus suggest the
State Department be bold enough "to fully support Taiwan's
effort to obtain observer status at the WHA and state unequivocally
before the delegates on the floor of the Assembly that we believe
Taiwan's membership is both proper and just" at the May 2003
WHA meeting.
The
CTC notes disappointment with past State Department support for
Taiwan on this issue, saying, "As you may recall, many Members
of Congress were disappointed with the State Department's effort to
assist Taiwan in its goal to obtain observer status at last years
WHA in Geneva."
They
add, "We have received every indication that if the United
States would step forward in this regard, others -- starting with
the Japanese delegation -- would be emboldened to publicly express
their own support for the proposal."
In
the letter, the Caucus chairs also call for a meeting with the State
Department "as soon as possible to discuss the Administration's
strategy to support Taiwan's effort to obtain observer status at the
upcoming WHA."
"The
clock is indeed ticking on the next World Health Assembly meeting,
as the CTC members note," stated Wu Ming-chi, FAPA President.
"We at FAPA received the commitment from Japan's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Japan would speak out in favor of
Taiwan's meaningful participation WITHIN the WHO Assembly, but only
if the U.S. were to do so first. U.S. assertiveness is extremely
crucial now!"
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