Former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard is scheduled to arrive in Taipei today for a visit at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Rocard will tour various political and cultural establishments. Rocard, who now serves as a member of the European Parliament, last visited Taiwan in 1992.
He is scheduled to meet President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), as well as many senior government officials including Vice Premier Wu Rong-i (吳榮義), Legislative Yuan Vice President David Chung (鍾榮吉), Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥), and Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).
Rocard will also call at the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party and the Chinese Nationalist Party.
Rocard is considered to be very friendly to Taiwan. While serving as French prime minister from 1988 to 1991, Rocard agreed to sell Taiwan France-made cruisers.
He has also tried to push the European Parliament to pass proposals supporting Taiwan's participation in international organizations.
On April 6, he sent a letter to Lee Jong-wook, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) , to ask the institute for necessary measures to deal with Taiwan's bid for WHO access, the MOFA official said.
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