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March
28, 2003
The
Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary
of State
U.S.
Department of State
2201
C Street, N.W.
Washington,
D.C. 20520
Dear
Secretary Powell:
As
you are aware, Taiwan - along with several nations across the globe
– have been struck by a deadly pneumonia virus known as Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). This virus has killed 13 people
thus far and put several hundred in the hospital as well. This
global epidemic has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to
initiate its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network in order to
coordinate international efforts to combat this deadly virus.
We
believe these measures have been critical to containing the spread
of SARS and to providing nations across the globe accurate and
timely information, enabling them to better combat this world health
threat.
Secretary
Powell, while we are grateful for the WHO's concerted response to
this global health crisis, we are deeply disturbed that one of the
nations most affected by this outbreak (ie, Taiwan) was denied
assistance when it requested help from the WHO to diagnose and treat
suspected cases of SARS. Despite the health perils posed to 23
million Taiwanese citizens, the WHO has repeatedly rejected Taiwan's
plea for help and has placed the health of an entire nation in jeopardy.
It
is unconscionable that instead of focusing on the health needs of
the Taiwanese people, the WHO has based its decisions
on politics and China's short-sighted rejection of Taiwan's
membership in the WHO. As
the pace of globalization quickens and the spread of infectious
disease becomes easier, it is critical that all nations, including
Taiwan, be given the opportunity to
participate
in such international health organizations as the WHO. The inability
of Taiwan to receive WHO assistance as well as the inability of
allowing them to provide its own medical expertise to WHO efforts
could seriously impede the international investigation into the SARS
outbreak.
As
members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, we urge you to support
Taiwan's efforts to seek assistance from the WHO in combating the
SARS outbreak and for her inclusion in the WHO's Global Outbreak
Alert and Response Network. It is critical to the health and
well-being of the Taiwanese people and the entire international
community that Taiwan not be left out of this international effort
to identify and treat this deadly virus.
Secretary
Powell, we believe that this crisis further highlights the urgency
surrounding Taiwan obtaining observer status in the WHO at the World
Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2003. In light of the recent SARS
crisis, it is apparent that until Taiwan becomes a member of the
WHO, the country will be unable to receive assistance from the
world's most preeminent health care body should a health emergency
arise. As we approach the beginning of the WHA in May, we urge you
to make a clear and uncompromising declaration of U.S. support for
Taiwan's candidacy for observer status in the WHO. More
specifically, we urge you to instruct the U.S. delegation to Geneva
this coming May to speak out on the floor of the WHO assembly in
favor of Taiwan's observer status.
We
want to thank you for your effort to assist Taiwan during this
health crisis, and we look forward to working with you and the Bush
Administration to assist the government of Taiwan in its effort to
obtain observer status in the WHO.
Sincerely,
1.
Robert Wexler
2.
Steve Chabot
3.
Sherrod Brown
4.
David Wu
5.
Joe Barton
6.
Michael McNulty
7.
Rob Andrews
8.
Rick Larsen
9.
Mike Bilirakis
10.
Eliot Engel
11.
John Shimkus
12.
Anthony Weiner
13.
Howard Berman
14.
Peter Deutsch
15.
Patrick Kennedy
16.
Mark Souder
17.
Eddie Bernice Johnson
18.
Jim Ramstad
19.
Maurice Hinchey
20.
Cliff Stearns
21.
Mike Honda
22.
James Langevin
23.
Frank Pallone
24.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
25.
Charles Gonzalez
26.
Solomon Ortiz
27.
Marilyn Musgrave
28.
Alcee Hastings
29.
Tim Ryan
30.
Julia Carson
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