EU parliamentarians lend support to Taiwan UN bid

One EU parliamentarians have once again voiced their support for Taiwan's bid to join the UN as a full member.

The parliamentarians issued a joint statement in favor of Taiwan's UN bid that was carried in the weekly European Voice on Wednesday.

Taiwan hold two referendums today, alongside the presidential election. A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-initiated referendum will ask voters whether Taiwan should rejoin the UN under the name of its official title, the Republic of China, or any other "practical" name, while a Democratic Progressive Party-proposed referendum calls for joining the UN under the name "Taiwan."

The EU lawmakers said that Taiwan is a sovereign state and a full-fledged democracy that has never been ruled by the People's Republic of China.

They said they have demanded in a number of resolutions EU support of Taiwan's UN bid, pointing out that the people of Taiwan deserve "better representation" globally, as the country is represented in only a few important international organizations such as the WTO, APEC and the Asian Development Bank.

Noting Taiwan has a fully developed economy and has made commendable contributions to the international community, the lawmakers called for EU member countries, as well as UN member countries, to "seriously" consider Taiwan's bids to join the UN.

The parliamentarians included Edward McMillan-Scott, vice president of the European Parliament, Georg Jarzembowski, chairman of the European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group; and Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament.

Meanwhile, in Taipei yesterday, Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher told a press conference that the people of Taiwan should fully participate in today's election and not be intimidated by threats unleashed by a "rogue nation."

Rohrabacher, a staunch supporter of Taiwan in Washington who co-chairs the Taiwan Caucus, is part of the US delegation to observe the election and the referendums today.

Rohrabacher that his statements only reflect his personal view and do not represent that of the US government. He also made it clear that he does not endorse any particular candidate because "the decision must only be made by the Taiwanese people."

Rohrabacher with a resolute "yes" when asked by the Taipei Times at the press conference if he believed recent statements by US Secretary of State Condelezza Rice and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte chastising the referendum for applying for UN membership under the name "Taiwan" as "provocative," and "unhelpful" had crossed the line for a foreign spectator.

He went on to say he believes Taiwan has a "legitimate government," more so than China where free elections do not exist, and deserves to have a UN seat.

After four free and fair elections, Taiwan should not and will not be intimidated by a "tyrannical regime" because allowing this to happen would only embolden the oppressors, he said.

Taiwan's democracy," he said, serves as an example in the region, including to people in China.

Calling Beijing Games an "Olympic fraud," the congressman slammed China for using the games to disguise its human rights abuses in Tibet and against Falun Gong practitioners, and its persistent oppression of Taiwan.

Rohrabacher one of the nine congressional members who wrote a letter urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put a vote to the floor on boycotting the Games in August due to China's recent bloody crackdown on Tibetan protesters in Lhasa.