Diplomacy: Lu receives Harvard dean

Vice President Annette Lu received William Alford, the visiting associate dean for the Graduate Program and International Legal Studies at Harvard Law School, yesterday. Lu, who received a master's degree in law from Harvard Law School in 1977, thanked Alford's long-standing concern over Taiwan's human rights record and his efforts to force Taiwan to harmonize its human rights protection regulations with international human rights conventions by bringing pressure from international human rights organizations to bear on Taiwan. Lu praised the Harvard Alumni Club of the Republic of China for facilitating academic cooperation between Harvard and local universities, adding that she, as a Harvard alumni, will do her part in this regard. For his part, Alford held Taiwan up as an example of human rights protection and democracy for developing countries, and urged the country to make good use of its hard-earned access to the WTO in its efforts to enhance its international profile.