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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 3, 20001
Public
Law 107-10 Amended
Authorizing
Taiwan WHO Plan for 2002
On August
2, Reps. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Steve Chabot (R-OH) introduced
an amendment to PL 107-10 which authorizes the Secretary
of State "to initiate a United States plan to endorse
and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long
summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2002" and
reminds President Bush of his promise to Senator Frank Murkowski
(R-AK) in a 5/11/01 letter on this issue. The bill also
asks the Secretary of State to "submit a written report"
on the plan to Congress within 14 days after the Act's enactment.
In his
letter, the President had stated that the U.S. "should
find opportunities for Taiwan's voice to be heard in international
organizations in order to make a contribution, even if membership
is not possible." President Bush further said that
his Administration "has focused on finding concrete
ways for Taiwan to benefit and contribute to the WHO."
Bush was responding to a Murkowski-initiated letter, signed
by thirty-one Senators, which called upon the President
to "stand up and take the lead" on Taiwan's participation
in the WHO as an observer during the 2001 World Health Assembly
meeting in Geneva.
The
amended bill also notes that, at this same World Health
Assembly meeting, Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and
Human Services, announced the Administration's support of
Taiwan's participation in the WHO activities.
In its
findings, the legislation states, "Good health is a
basic right for every citizen of the world and access to
the highest standards of health information and services
is necessary to help guarantee this right." It goes
on to note that "direct and unobstructed participation
in international health cooperation forums and programs
is …crucial for all parts of the world, especially with
today's greater potential for the cross-border spread of
various infectious diseases such as AIDS." Leaving
Taiwan's 22 million people out of the WHO sphere both denies
them their due right to good health and creates potential
health hazards for both Taiwan and other nations.
"The
bill is another step towards our hoped-for goal of ultimate
WHO membership for Taiwan," states FAPA Acting President
Ming-chi Wu. "Congress is asking the Administration
to fulfill President Bush's stated objective of letting
Taiwan's voice be heard, in the specific case of the WHO.
We firmly support this Congressional call for a pro-active
position by the Administration. With its development as
a human-rights respecting, mature democracy, Taiwan deserves
such support and the WHO will be all the stronger with Taiwan's
participation."
Mandarin
Press Release
Text
of the Amendment
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