Preparations to launch Taiwan's ninth bid to re-enter the UN are nearly set, as the world body prepares for its annual general assembly session in mid-September.
Taiwan Foreign Affairs Minister Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂) said yesterday that the government has ruled out the possibility of joining the UN as an observer and also pointed out that it has no plans to join the international organization under a designation other than Taiwan.
As the UN is a political and governmental body composed of sovereign states, Tien said, any change in the nation's formal title must be made in compliance with Taiwan's Constitution, a move which is out of the control of his ministry.
The minister made the remarks while answering questions from reporters following a swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed representatives to France and Brazil -- Hsieh Hsin-ping (謝新平) and Chou Kuo-jui (周國瑞).
Tien revealed that the Cabinet will set up an inter-ministerial task force, to be led by himself and Executive Yuan Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (
Taipei will also coordinate with diplomatic allies that traditionally raise the proposal in favor of Taiwan's membership at the UN General Assembly, he added.
According to Tien, the content of allies' proposals will be quite similar to those put forward in the past and his ministry will hold a news conference Tuesday to give an explanation of this year's proposal.
Last year, Taiwan's bid was sponsored by 14 of its 29 diplomatic allies, including Burkina Faso, Chad, the Dominican Republic, Gambia, Grenada, Honduras, Malawi, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, the Solomon Islands and Swaziland.
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