For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 2, 2003
Contact: (202) 547-3686
Congressional Taiwan Caucus Chairs Urge Outgoing WHO Chief Brundtland To Support Taiwan In Geneva Next Week
In a May 4, 2002 letter to WHO Director General Gro Harlem Brundtland, Congressional Taiwan Caucus co-chairs Reps. Robert Wexler, Steve Chabot, Sherrod Brown and Dana Rohrabacher urged the Director General “to speak out in favor of Taiwan’s observer status in the WHO on the floor of the assembly this coming May.”
The co-chairs write: “We realize that your term as Director General of the WHO will end after the Geneva summit. We know that Taiwanese around the world, and my Taiwanese American constituents will be very grateful if you were to speak out in favor of Taiwan’s observer status in the WHO on the floor of the assembly this coming May.”
In the letter, the co-chairs laud the accomplishments of Taiwan in the battle against SARS: “Taiwan has donated NT$200 million (US$5.75 million) to finance a cross-border research project on SARS to cooperate with the mainland and Hong Kong — the two hardest-hit areas by the SARS epidemic — in combating the deadly disease.
FAPA President Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D., states: “With the WHO summit coming up this month, the letter is very timely. Now that Director General Brundtland is on her way out, she would show great courage if she would express support for Taiwan’s observer status in the WHO when she pulls the door behind her. With the current SARS crisis, Taiwan’s lack of membership in the WHO is an outrage.”
Wu continues: “It is clear that Taiwan takes the high road in this battle against SARS. With it donation of millions of dollars to SARS research to cooperate with the PRC and Hong Kong, it clearly demonstrates that it puts human lives above politics. We urge the PRC to do the same, and support Taiwan’s observer status in the WHO.”
台灣連線籲請世衛執行長布蘭特女士支持台灣參與今年世衛大會
台灣連線四位共同主席於今日共同致函世界衛生組織執行長布蘭特女士，籲請她在今年的世衛大會上能公開支持台灣以觀察員的身份參與這個即將於五月十九日召開，為期一週的會議。
四位共同主席在信中表示，台灣在四月二十六日出現第一起因SARS的死亡案例，他們相信世衛組織在控制SARS疫情與提供及時、正確的資訊上扮演著關鍵性的角色，得以協助受感染的國家們與SARS這個對世界衛生造成威脅的病毒搏鬥。台灣連線繼續在信中表示，WHO將政治與中國的短視近利置於台灣人民的衛生需求之上，因而拒絕台灣WHO會員籍的申請是沒有道德良心的。
台灣連線並在信中指出，為了對抗SARS，台灣已出資了約五百多萬美元，投入防治兩岸三地SARS疫情的研究計劃。連線主席們最後在信中再次籲請布蘭特女士在今年的世衛大會上出聲支持台灣世衛大會的觀察員身份。
在美推動台灣參與WHO不遺餘力的台灣人公共事務會(FAPA)會長吳明基表示：「在世衛大會即將在三週內召開之際，台灣連線這封致布蘭特女士的信函來得正是時侯。布蘭特女士擔任世衛執行長的任期即將在五月屆滿，她如能在離開WHO之前公開支持台灣世衛的參與，將是一個令人佩服的勇敢舉動。」
吳明基繼續表示，「台灣出資近六百萬美金投入研究計劃，協助兩岸三地共同抵抗SARS的肆虐，證明了台灣政府將人命置於政治角力之上。我們也希望中國能效法台灣，將政治擺一旁，支持台灣以觀察員的身份參與世衛大會。吳明基最後表示：「在SARS奪走了八條人命後，布蘭特女士終於在日前指派兩位WHO專家前往台灣，難道必須奪走更多條台灣人民的性命之後，世衛組織及其他國家才能瞭解到台灣參與世衛的必須性與合理性嗎？我們相信身為世界最高照顧人類健康福祉的世衛組織不至於這麼的顢頇不講理，我們殷切地希望世衛組織能早日接納台灣參與世衛的申請，使台灣二千三百萬人民的衛生福利能夠受到保障。」
