Wang Jin-pyng gets EU support

A number of European Parliament (EP) members support Taiwan's efforts to join international organizations and are pushing for the EU Commission to open a representative office in Taipei, Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said in Brussels Wednesday.

Wang, heading a delegation of Taiwan legislators, met EP President Pat Cox and 29 members from five EP groups Wednesday. Wang said that all EP members he met, regardless of political background, felt that Taiwan should have better representation in the international community.

George Jarzembowski, president of pro-Taiwan faction the EP-Taiwan Group, congratulated Taiwan on its entry into the WTO after years of negotiation.

However, he said that Taiwan is still unable to gain admission into many other international organizations. This, he added, was unfair.

Jarzembowski stressed that as a friend of the ROC, members of the EP-Taiwan Group would urge their own governments to promote the EU's relations with Taiwan and call on the EU Commission to set up a representative office in Taipei as soon as possible.

Jarzembowski also called on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to hold talks, but stressed that any dialogue should be undertaken under the principles of respecting human rights, legality and equality.

Wang said that he very much appreciated the support from members of the pro-Taiwan group and promised to do all he could to foster good relations between Taiwan legislators and parliamentarians from European countries.

Commenting on the representative office issue, David Lin (林永樂), director-general of the ministry's Department of European Affairs, said yesterday that it was just a matter of time before such an office was established.