For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 10, 2002
Contact: (202) 547-3686
Thirty-Eight Senators Write Powell – “Publicly Endorse Taiwan’s WHO Observership”
Thirty-eight Senators sent Secretary of State Colin Powell a letter last night requesting him to “publicly endorse Taiwan’s observership in the WHO” and to have the United States “actively encourage other WHO member states to support observership for Taiwan.”
Noting their disappointment that a State Department plan, authorized by PL 107-158, “does not more clearly articulate a plan aimed at” increasing Taiwan’s participation in the WHO, the Senators state their belief that “the people of Taiwan deserve access to the highest standards of health information and services.” They also declare that, “given the growing threat of bioterrorism, it is imperative that vital information can be made universally available.”
“We see no reason why Taiwan should continue to be excluded from having the same benefits as non-state entities (such as the Palestinian Authority) with observer status in the WHO,” the Senators conclude.
“We believe that it is important for the United States to take the lead on this issue, affirming the principle that healthcare is a basic right for every individual. As such, we urge the Administration to take a more vigorous, concrete approach to supporting observer status for Taiwan,” the Senators declare as a preface to asking Secretary Powell to speak publicly to this issue.
“Both the House and Senate have sent strong, bipartisan letters to the Bush Administration asking that the President speak out forcefully on Taiwan’s observer status in the WHO,” stated FAPA President Wu Ming-chi. “The time is now for such action!
三十八位參議員聯署呼籲鮑威爾，公開支持台灣WHA觀察員身份
民主黨的托里西利(Robert Torricelli, D-NJ) 及共和黨的凱爾(Jon Kyl, R-AZ) 參議員，於五月一號共同帶領三十八位美參議員，聯署致函國務卿鮑威爾，籲請他公開表示支持台灣以觀察員身份參與今年的WHA，並希望美國積極鼓勵其他WHO會員國支持台灣以觀察員身份參與今年的WHA。
信中首先闡述參議員們對於國務院四月二十四日出爐的報告感到相當的失望。參議員們表示，國務院根據第107-158法案所回應的報告中，僅僅提到美國將繼續支持台灣參與世衛，並沒有描述出一個具體的執行計劃。參議員們接著在信中強調，隨著生化戰帶來的威脅越來越急迫，全球都能得到這樣重要的資訊是非常急切的，參議員不認為有什麼原因應該繼續將台灣排除在世衛組織外，尤其是當台灣爭取的是不以國家為限，連巴解組織都是一員的觀察員身份。
參議員最後在信中表示，美國在這項議題上採取領導的角色是很重要的，參議員們並要求鮑威爾在世衛大會召開之前，能夠公開出聲支持台灣以觀察員身份參與WHA，並且要求美國積極爭取世衛其他會員國對台灣的支持。
台灣人公共事務會會長吳明基表示，從近日種種報導來看，台灣參與世衛今年獲得的支持可以說是創歷年之高，參議院共和黨領袖羅特，軍事委員員主席華納及麥肯都聯署此信。而據瞭解，前眾議院國際關係委員會主席吉爾曼也於昨日九日致函鮑烕爾表達類似的訴求，現在就等待十三日世衛大會召開當天的情形了！
