WHO Shoots Down Assembly Entry Bid

Although Taiwan was rejected yesterday for the seventh time in its bid to become an observer in the World Health Assembly (WHA), Taiwanese officials saw remarkable progress in other countries' support for Taiwan's bid.

During the second plenary meeting, Taiwan's application to join the WHA as an observer was again rejected, but Taiwan still stands a chance tomorrow to apply during the third plenary meeting, the committee "A" meeting and the round table meeting.

The general committee of the WHA, the World Health Organization's (WHO) highest decision body, decided not to include Taiwan's application to be a WHA observer as a supplementary item to the assembly agenda.

However, the US displayed considerable support for Taiwan's observership bid by addressing a letter to chairman of the general demanding to accommodate Taiwan into its health network.

Although the US stressed its above request did not mean it supported the inclusion of Taiwan's observer status bid in the assembly agenda, Taiwanese officials regarded the high level of support the US has exhibited as unprecedented.

Taiwan should work harder to develop its independent character and continue its efforts to join both the WHA and the WHO.

---Lin Chih-chia, TSU legislator

For the first time, the US spoke for Taiwan's observership application, whereas Japan, which has publicly expressed support for Taiwan's bid to join the WHA as an observer, did not make any supportive move during the general committee.

Moreover, none of the EU members opposed adding Taiwan's observer status application to the assembly agenda.

EU countries had opposed Taiwan's entering the WHA as an observer for the past several years. Last year, France and Spain opposed putting Taiwan's observership into the assembly agenda.

Officials hailed the lack of opposition from the EU as another considerable milestone in Taiwan's efforts to enter the WHO.

"It was a good sign never seen before," said an official.

During the general committee, seven countries supported Taiwan's bid while 27 others opposed. Taiwan's allies -- the seven supporters -- Nicaragua, Honduras, Palau, Belize, Senegal, Dominica and Gambia spoke for Taiwan, whereas Cuba, Libya, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Algeria -- which were among the 27 -- stood against Taiwan.

Officials said China launched an unprecedented effort to mobilize its allies to block Taiwan's observership bid.

However, officials expressed optimism because not many countries, apart from these allies, voiced their opposition against Taiwan's bid.

Wu Yi (吳儀), China's vice president and minister of health, personally attended the general committee and spearheaded the opposition to Taiwan's observership application.

Michael Kao (高英茂), vice minister of foreign affairs, said what matters most was the extent of support other countries gave for Taiwan's application for WHO observership rather than the result of the application.

Kao said the US expressed support for the proposal and that Japan also held a "friendly" attitude toward the proposal.

Marshall Islands put forth the proposal to add Taiwan's application for WHA observer status as a supplementary item to the assembly's provisional agenda.

Christine McNab, a spokeswoman for the World Health Organization (WHO), said on the committee itself, a minority of the members and a handful of non-members spoke for Taiwan's proposal.

Bangladeshi chaired the general committee, which was attended by 23 countries. Kao said only 1 or 2 of the countries attending the general committee were Taiwan's allies.

Although Taiwan's ally Palau was the vice chairman of the general committee, it's position disallowed it to voice support for Taiwan's observer status bid.

Alexis Pinzon, Panama's vice health minister, said the country backed Taiwan's bid for humanitarian sake.

"It's very important all countries become members of the WHA, regardless of what their political positions are," said Pinzon.

Ruling and opposition parties yesterday condemned China's move to block Taiwan from the WHA.

The head of the DPP's International Affairs Department Hsiao Bi-Khim (蕭美琴) said China's move had greatly hurt Taiwan's people and that it was a despicable and heartless act.

"It will be detrimental to the future development of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," Hsiao said.

"China has been saying that Taiwan's efforts to join international organizations will hurt the feelings of the Chinese.

"But have they considered that their attempts to bar us from international organizations will also hurt the feelings of Taiwan's people," she said.

Although Taiwan's bid to join the WHA forum as an observer has failed once again, Hsiao said, Taiwan will not give up its attempts to join a SARS meeting to be held by the WHO in June in Malaysia.

The opposition KMT expressed regret over the development.

"Out of humanitarian concerns, Taiwan should be allowed to join the WHA forum as an observer.

"But it is a regrettable that China has once again boycotted our efforts in this direction," Lin said.

"Under strong pressure from China, the chances for Taiwan to join the WHA forum are indeed small," he said.

"We have been making the bid for several years."

TSU Secretary-general Lin Chih-chia (林志嘉) issued a strongly-worded condemnation of China.

Lin called on the public to understand the nature of Beijing and understand that China and Taiwan were not likely to become one country.

"Taiwan should work harder to develop its independent character and continue its efforts to join both the WHA and the WHO," Lin said.

"Taiwanese people should not harbor any illusions about China."

Meanwhile, political analysts predicted that the WHA issue would greatly harm cross-strait relations.

Political scholar Liu Bi-lung (劉必榮) said cross-strait relations might not improve before next year's presidential elections.

"China's denial of Taiwan's efforts for an international presence will only increase international support for the country. It is obvious that China sensed the development and is trying to keep it down," Liu said.

"The new Chinese leaders will by no means give any ground to Taiwan for the moment, especially as they are faced with the tough task of fighting SARS," Liu said.

"The two sides of the strait have developed a mistrust of each other because of the WHA issue and the SARS infections.

"The two will feel hurt at the same time. Distance between the two will surely become greater," Liu said.