Fri, Sep 27, 2013 page3

• Paraguay’s Cartes speaks up for Taiwan at the UN

  BEST OF FRIENDS: The Palauan president also thanked Taiwan for its economic support that has helped his nation achieve its UN Millennium Goals

  • By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter
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  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday expressed its appreciation to Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes for speaking up for Taiwan in a general debate at the 68th UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

  In his statement, Cartes hailed Taiwan’s “increased presence” in UN specialized agencies and bodies “thanks to strong global support” and said that his administration “would continue to encourage such positive interaction.”

  Cartes was elected president in April.

  “It’s been five years since Paraguay last expressed its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in UN agencies at the general assembly. The ministry is thankful for that,” Florencia Hsieh (謝妙宏), deputy director-general of the ministry’s Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, said yesterday.

  After President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office in 2008, his administration forwent the approach of asking the nation’s allies to propose full membership for Taiwan at the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting, a stance Taipei had adopted since 1993, changing it to seeking “meaningful participation” in auxiliary agencies of the UN.

  Aside from Paraguay, Palauan President Tommy Remengesau also thanked “the Republic of China for its friendship and economic support in assisting Palau to achieve our Millennium Goals, and in moving on to the post-2015 development agenda through grants and technical assistance in areas of infrastructure, food security enhancement and human capacity.”

  Remengesau told the assembly that his administration strongly supports Taiwan’s expanded participation in the UN, acknowledges the increase in its meaningful participation in UN specialized agencies and mechanisms, and calls upon the UN system to accept Taiwan’s participation as a valuable contributor to the world body’s collective efforts.

  Saying he was pleased by the climate of dialogue and detente that characterizes relations between China and Taiwan, Remengesau called for Taiwan’s inclusion in UN specialized agencies, particularly the International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

  He saluted Taiwan’s efforts to help developing countries, such as his own.

  Kiribati President Anote Tong said his country welcomed the inclusion of Taiwan in international processes of the World Health Assembly.

  “[We] hope that this similar inclusive approach will prevail in respect of other international institutions and processes, where Taiwan and all can participate and contribute meaningfully for the good of humanity,” Tong said.

  Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes and Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli were among the head of states with which Taiwan has diplomatic relationships who spoke at the assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday. They did not address Taiwan-related issues in their statements.

  The general assembly runs until Wednesday next week.
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