President Chen Shui-bian (
"It would be appropriate to seek a resolution on the issue by raising the case at the International Court of Justice," Chen said while receiving former court justice Shigeru Oda at the Presidential Office yesterday.
Chen said Oda had discussed the same issue with former president Lee Teng-hui (
"As a sovereign county, independent from the authority of the People's Republic of China, all 23 million people of Taiwan pursue freedom, democracy, peace and human rights," Chen said. "But at the same time, our country is still denied the dignity it deserves from the international community."
Chen said Taiwanese yearn for peace and aspire to be involved with international relations, including relations with China, in a peaceful manner.
"The great reform movement in Taiwan has yet to be completed and the country's international status has never been seriously assured or dealt with by the international community. This is why so many organizations and [people] are devoted to the campaign for rectifying the name of Taiwan," Chen said.
The president asked Oda to serve as a consultant and offer more advice on international law.
Oda said he has a deep understanding of Taiwan's predicament and would be willing to provide a report on the issue.
Ng Chiautong (黃昭堂), chairman of the World United Formosans for Independence (台獨聯盟), said raising the Taiwan issue in the international community would help promote the nation's status.
"However, the judiciary department of the United Nations and the regulations of the court obviously make it difficult for Taiwan to raise any case," Ng said.
According to court rules, "only states may be parties in cases before the Court."
For those who are not UN members, the rules state, "the conditions under which the Court shall be open to other states shall, subject to the special provisions contained in treaties in force, be laid down by the Security Council, but in no case shall such conditions place the parties in a position of inequality before the Court."
As a permanent member of the Security Council, China has vetoed all proposals or cases proposed to discuss Taiwan's status.
"Though we believe that all 15 judges will handle cases submitted to the court independently, we have to realize that the court still operates with political considerations in mind," Ng said.
"This makes it very difficult to successfully make the case at the court," he said.
Ng said Taiwan must make the first move if it wants to gain recognition, such as by changing the country's name.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) told the media last night that his department will study bringing a case before the court, but added there are no concrete plans for the time being.
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