The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it is working to make sure that Taiwan receives an invitation to this year’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly, adding that preparations have been made to avoid a dispute like the one that preceded the World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in May.
“As Taiwan was allowed to attend the 2013 ICAO Assembly, the ministry is making efforts to make sure that the nation is invited to the triennial assembly this year, which is to be held from Sept. 27 through Oct. 7 in Montreal, Canada,” Department of International Organizations Director-General Michael Hsu (徐佩勇) told a routine news conference in Taipei.
After a proposal by Beijing, Taipei was invited to attend the 38th ICAO Assembly in 2013 as a “guest.”
Asked whether the ministry has taken any measures should an incident like the WHA invitation dispute occur, Hsu said preparations have been made to prevent such a development.
“We should refrain from speculating too much about what the actual situation would be like,” Hsu added.
Hsu was referring to controversy sparked by the WHO’s citations of UN Resolution 2758, WHA Resolution 25.1 and the “one China” principle in a last-minute invitation to Taiwan for this year’s WHA meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, in May.
UN Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the only lawful representative of China to the UN, while WHA Resolution 25.1, adopted at the 25th WHA in 1972, expelled the Republic of China from the WHO.
Hsu dismissed questions over whether the ICAO’s secretary-general position held by Chinese air safety expert Fang Liu (柳芳) could impede Taipei’s chances of attending this year’s assembly.
“We are all doing what we can. Since things are still evolving, we should refrain from revealing too much,” Hsu said, adding that its has always been the government’s goal to expand the nation’s participation at international events.
Hsu said the invitation to the 2013 ICAO Assembly arrived in the middle of September that year, adding that he hopes the invitation for this year’s meeting arrives soon.
Hsu said the ministry has been preparing for all possible scenarios, including the worst-case scenario.
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