With the World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in Geneva just over a month away, a high-ranking official fresh from a lobbying effort in Europe said yesterday that he was optimistic about the nation's bid this year to become a World Health Organization (WHO) observer.
"It's been quite positive. Everyone was rather sympathetic. But the problem is to find a proper solution," Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau (高英茂) said.
Kau, who has conducted lobbying efforts in France, Italy and other European countries, dubbed his work "quiet diplomacy."
Kau said the government's handling of the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak has been an asset to Taiwan's WHO bid.
"The overall international scenario is to our advantage, especially in the wake of the outbreak of SARS," Kau said.
"Justice and legitimacy are on our side," he said.
But Kau admitted the "political will" by major countries to back Taipei's bid is key to the success of its attempt to become an observer at the WHA, the WHO's highest decision-making body.
The assembly will meet in Geneva beginning May 19.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) yesterday dubbed the WHO's treatment of Taiwan's request for help in combatting SARS as "unfair."
Chien said the WHO bid has nothing to do with what he dubbed the "diplomatic and political interest" of the country, adding the move is to ensure that the health of people of Taiwan is safeguarded.
There has been a growing number of calls in the international media for support for Taiwan's bid to join the WHO umbrella in the wake of the SARS outbreak.
"Taiwan should be admitted to the WHO on an expedited basis so that if the disease spreads no opportunity to save lives is lost," an editorial in the March 18 edition of the Asian Wall Street Journal said.
In related news, the Alliance of Medical Associations in the Taichung Area has planned a mass rally for tomorrow to drum up support for the WHO bid.
Other social activist groups and elected officials are expected to take part in the rally, which will kick off at Tunghai University campus tomorrow morning, an alliance spokesman said yesterday.
Taiwan needs to be integrated into the world medical system governed and regulated by the WHO, the spokesman said, adding that excluding the country from the WHO is tantamount to denying it access to proper medical attention.
During the rally, the alliance will also hold a signature drive as part of its appeal to the WHO, he said.
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