For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 12, 2003
Contact: (202) 547-3686
House International Relations Committee Chair Accuses WHO Of “Narrow Political Motives”
In a letter to the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) congratulating Taiwanese Americans with their annual celebration of the Taiwanese American Heritage week, House International Relations Committee chairman Henry Hyde accuses the World Health Organization (WHO) of locking Taiwan out of the organization “due to narrow political motives.”
The chairman writes: “Taiwan, although, in close proximity to the epicenter of the SARS outbreak in southern China, remains locked out of WHO participation due to narrow political motives. This shortsighted attitude imperils not only the health of Taiwan’s 23 million people, but also denies full regional coordination on a continuing basis in fighting an epidemic which could potentially threaten us all. […] The still unfolding SARS crisis only underscores the need for WHO observer status for Taiwan.”
FAPA President Ming-chi Wu, Ph.D., states: “It is a sad irony that people in Taiwan have to die before the world will listen. I refuse to accept the notion that the international community will let politics prevail over human suffering. Taiwan needs to be included in the WHO summit in Geneva next week.”
國關委員會主席海德致函FAPA，祝賀台美傳統週並表達支持台灣參與世衛組織
眾議院國際關係委員主席海徳於7日致函台灣人公共事務會，祝賀即將在全美各地展開的台美傳統週慶祝儀式。海德主席並藉由此封信函表達他個人及代表美國國會對於台灣人民因SARS傷亡的關切之意，海德主席在信中表示「狹隘的政治動機，導致台灣被拒絕在WHO大門之外」。
海德主席在信中表示，「我誠摯地希望美國政府能在即將於日內瓦召開的世衛大會上，扮演領導者的角色，為了這個目的（協助台灣參與世衛）遊說他國。」他並強調：「當我們考量到台灣人民與台美人在醫學及其他領域上付出極大的貢獻時，只有當台灣的地位與其對全球的貢獻得到國際社會完全的尊重與感激時，才會是令人滿意的結果。」
台灣人公共事務會會長吳明基表示：「非常感謝海德主席將近日來台美人最關心的SARS疫情，包含在他的台美傳統週賀詞裡，在在顯示出海德主席對台灣人民的關切與支持。」吳明基繼續表示：「海德主席信中暗指希望美國政府能在今年世衛大會上有所動作，扮演著領導者的角色，正點出了台灣政府與所有台美人的心聲。如同上週陳水扁總統在華盛頓郵報的社論一樣，如果要談論台灣加入世衛組織的最佳時間，那就是非現在不可！」
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