| General
Assembly |
Distr.: General
4 August 2000
Original:
English |
Fifty-fifth
session
Request for the
inclusion of a supplementary item in the agenda of the fifty-fifth session
Need to examine the
exceptional international situation pertaining to the Republic of China on Taiwan, to
ensure that the fundamental right of its twenty-three million people to participate in the
work and activities of the United Nations is fully respected
Letter dated 3 August 2000 from the
representatives of Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Grenada, Honduras, Malawi, the Marshall
Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands and
Swaziland to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
Upon
the instruction of our respective Governments, we have the honour to request, pursuant to
rule 14 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the inclusion in the agenda of
the fifty-fifth session of the Assembly of a supplementary item entitled "Need to
examine the exceptional international situation pertaining to the Republic of China on
Taiwan, to ensure that the fundamental right of its twenty-three million people to
participate in the work and activities of the United Nations is fully respected”.
Pursuant to rule 20 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, we attach an
explanatory memorandum (see annex I) and a draft resolution (see annex II).
(Signed) Michel Kafando
Permanent
Representative of Burkina Faso to the United Nations
(Signed)
Baboucarr-Blaise Ismaila Jagne
Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the United Nations
(Signed)
Lamuel A. Stanislaus
Permanent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations
(Signed) Angel Edmundo Orellana
Permanent Representative of Honduras to the United Nations
(Signed) Yusuf
Mcdadlly Juwayeyi
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Malawi to the United
Nations
Signed) Jackeo
A. Relang
Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
to the United Nations
(Signed) Vinci Neil Clodumar
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Nauru to the United
Nations
(Signed) Mario H. Castellón
Duarte
Alternate Permanent Representative
Chargé d’affaires a.i.
Permanent Mission of Nicaragua to the United Nations
(Signed) Dennie M.
J. Wilson
Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
to the United Nations
(Signed) Ibra
Degučne Ka
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Senegal to the United Nations
(Signed) Jeremiah Manele
Counsellor
Chargé d’affaires a.i.
Permanent Mission of Solomon Islands to the United Nations
(Signed) Joel M. Nhleko
Counsellor
Chargé d’affaires a.i.
Permanent
Mission of the Kingdom of Swaziland to the United Nations
Annex I to
the letter dated 3 August 2000 from the representatives of Burkina Faso, the Gambia,
Grenada, Honduras, Malawi, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands and Swaziland to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General
Explanatory Memorandum
As Tuvalu of the South Pacific is to be admitted to the
United Nations later this year, the Republic of China on Taiwan will then be the only
country in the world that remains excluded from the United Nations. Therefore, there is an
urgent need to examine this situation from a whole new perspective and redress this
mistaken omission. There are many reasons why the Republic of China should have the right
to play a role in the United Nations:
1. The Republic of China is a democratic
country and its democratically elected Government is the sole legitimate one that can
actually represent the interests and wishes of the people of Taiwan in the United Nations.
The
Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China have coexisted on their
respective sides of the Taiwan Strait, with neither subject to the other’s rule. Over
that past half-century, each side has developed its own political system, social values
and foreign relations. Therefore, each of these two sides can speak for and represent only
the people actually under its jurisdiction on its respective side of the Taiwan Strait.
2. The exclusion of the Republic of China from
the United Nations and its related agencies has created a major and serious obstacle for
both the Government and the people of the Republic of China in their pursuit of normal
participation in international organizations and activities.
From
1950 to 1971, the United Nations considered the question of China’s representation.
In October 1971, at its twenty-sixth session, the General Assembly adopted resolution 2758 (XXVI), in which it decided that the China seat
would be taken by the People’s Republic of China. That resolution, however, failed to
address the issue of legitimate representation for the people of Taiwan in the United
Nations.
Worse
still, while the representatives of the Government of the Republic of China are excluded
from all United Nations activities, the Republic of China’s lack of membership in the
United Nations and General Assembly resolution 2758 (XXVI)
have too often been used as pretexts to deter or discourage the participation of
individuals and non-governmental groups of the Republic in United Nations activities and
all activities related to all functions of the Economic and Social Council.
This
unjust exclusion of civil associations and individuals of the Republic of China runs
counter to the predominant trend of involving all possible participants in international
affairs and the United Nations call for global and comprehensive partnership.
3. The Republic of China, a country with
significant achievements, is a constructive and responsible member of the international
community.
The
Republic of China has played a positive role in promoting world trade, eradicating poverty
and advancing human rights, a fact that merits recognition by Members of the United
Nations.
The
Republic of China has a population of 23 million and a democratic system. Above all, it is
a peace-loving country, which is able and willing to carry out the obligations contained
in the Charter of the United Nations.
Today
the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan enjoy a high degree of freedom and
democracy. The Republic held its first direct presidential election in March 1996, the
first time in history that the Republic elected its highest leader by popular vote. In
March 2000, Mr. Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party was elected in the
second direct presidential election, marking the first-ever change of political parties
for the presidency of the Republic of China. Since Mr. Chen’s inauguration on 20 May
2000, the people of the Republic have witnessed a peaceful transition of power as a result
of a democratic election.
The
Republic of China is one of the most successful examples of economic development in the
twentieth century and is now the world’s nineteenth largest economy in terms of GNP,
and the fourteenth most important trading country. It is also a major investor in East
Asia and possesses the third largest amount of foreign reserves in the world.
The
Republic of China is also a humanitarian-minded country. Over the years it has sent over
10,000 experts to train technicians in countries all over the world, especially the
countries of Asia, the South Pacific, Latin America and Africa, to help develop their
agricultural, fishery and livestock industries. It also has provided billions of United
States dollars in disaster relief throughout the world, including the People’s
Republic of China, over the past several years, and has responded to United Nations
appeals for emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance to countries suffering from
natural disasters and wars.
Currently,
the Republic of China contributes capital to regional development programmes through
international financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the Central
American Bank for Economic Integration, the Inter-American Development Bank and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The
Republic of China is fully committed to observing the principles of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and to its integration into the international human rights
system spearheaded by the United Nations.
4. The United Nations should take note of the
recent conciliatory gestures of the Republic of China towards the People’s Republic
of China and play a facilitating role by providing a forum for their reconciliation and
rapprochement.
On 20
June 2000, President Chen called upon the leader of the People’s Republic of China,
President Jiang Zemin, to work together to bring about a historic summit like that just
held between North and South Korea. He indicated that he would be willing to sit down with
Mr. Jiang to pursue cross-strait reconciliation, without specifying any preconditions,
format or location. He also urged the leaders of the two sides to use their wisdom and
creativity, based on the principles of democracy and parity, to jointly create a
favourable environment for the betterment of cross-strait relations. He further voiced the
hope that the leaders of the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China
would respect the free choice of the people on both sides and work together to resolve the
question of a future “one-China”.
As an
organization dedicated to the preservation and maintenance of world peace, the United
Nations should facilitate a reconciliation and peace process between the two sides of the
Taiwan Strait. The United Nations can serve as a forum to foster mutual understanding and
goodwill between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China so that
confidence-building measures can be developed in time, thus reducing cross-strait tension.
5. The participation of the Republic of China
on Taiwan in the United Nations poses no barrier to the future peaceful resolution of the
differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait; indeed, it can be conducive to
regional peace and security.
The
examples of the former East Germany and West Germany, and now of the Republic of Korea and
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, serve as precedents for parallel
representation of divided nations in the United Nations. The exchanges between East
Germany and West Germany via the United Nations and other international organizations
contributed not only to regional peace and security, but also to their peaceful
unification in 1990. The simultaneous admission of two Koreas into the United Nations in
1991 also helped to build mutual trust and confidence between the two, which culminated in
the June 2000 summit.
The
strategic position of Taiwan makes it a focal point of the entire Asia and Pacific region.
Accordingly, the stability of the Taiwan Strait and its periphery is vital to the
maintenance of peace and security for the region in particular and for the world in
general. In the absence of an institutionalized crisis-management mechanism that covers
the relations across the Taiwan Strait, a role for the Republic of China on Taiwan in the
United Nations would bring the area under the peace and security mechanism contained in
the United Nations, thus enhancing the maintenance of peace and security in the region.
The United Nations should therefore encourage both sides of the Taiwan Strait to work and
cooperate in the Organization and its related organizations.
6. The General Assembly should act to ensure
that the voice of the 23 million people on Taiwan is heard in the United Nations and its
related organizations.
Tremendous
changes have taken place globally in the past two decades. The world is faced with
increasingly demanding tasks in eradicating disease and poverty, protecting the
environment and endangered species, regulating human migration and population growth, and
promoting human rights and dignity. Many of those issues call for global and comprehensive
efforts that transcend traditional national boundaries. To be more effective and
efficient, these joint efforts require not only broad support and cooperation from
national Governments, but also greater involvement and participation from local
governments, civil associations and even individuals. As the world organization with the
most comprehensive functions, the United Nations system should invite every possible
participant of the international community to join the partnership to further the
objectives and purposes of the United Nations.,/p>
At the
dawning of the new millennium, people around the world welcome the Israeli-Arab peace
talks, the summit between the North and South Koreas and the imminent accession of both
the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China to the World Trade
Organization. All these events signify that reconciliation has replaced confrontation as
the dominant spirit of the new century and the mainstream value of the international
community. It is high time that the United Nations seriously reconsider the
appropriateness of continued exclusion of the Republic of China from this most important
global forum. With the participation of the Republic of China, the United Nations can live
up to its principle of universality, achieve its goal of preventive diplomacy, and
facilitate the cross-strait reconciliation and peace process.
Annex II to the letter
dated 3 August 2000 from the representatives of Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Grenada,
Honduras, Malawi, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands and Swaziland to the United Nations addressed to the
Secretary-General Draft resolution
Draft Resolution
The General Assembly,
Considering
the fact that the twenty-three million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan are
the only remaining people in the world that still do not have actual and legitimate
representation in the United Nations,
Recognizing
that since 1949 the Government of the Republic of China has exercised effective
control and jurisdiction over the Taiwan area while the Government of the People’s
Republic of China has exercised effective control and jurisdiction over the Chinese
mainland during the same time period,
Acknowledging
that the Republic of China on Taiwan is a constructive and responsible member of the
international community, with a democratic system and a strong, dynamic economy,
Observing
that the strategic location of Taiwan is vital to the peace and security of the East Asian
and Pacific regions and the world,
Understanding
that the determination of future relations between the Republic of China on Taiwan and the
People’s Republic of China should fully respect the free will of the people on both
sides and be implemented in a peaceful way,
Mindful
of the fact that the Republic of China has committed itself to peaceful resolution of
differences with the People’s Republic of China and has repeatedly offered friendly
and conciliatory gestures towards the leadership of the People’s Republic of China,
Noting
the declaration of the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan that it accepts
without condition the obligations contained in the Charter of the United Nations, that it
is able and willing to carry out those obligations, and that it is fully committed to
observing the principles and spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Affirming
the significance that recognition of and respect for the fundamental rights of the
twenty-three million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan would have for upholding
the principles and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations,
Decides
(a) To
respect fully the choice of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait with regard to
their future relations and to reject any unilateral arrangement or forced resolution of
their differences by other than peaceful means;
(b) To
express its concern about cross-strait tension and its possible impact upon regional
peace, stability and prosperity, and to encourage the Republic of China on Taiwan and the
People’s Republic of China to resume their dialogue and communications on a peaceful
basis and equal footing;
(c) To
establish a working group of the General Assembly with the mandate of examining thoroughly
the exceptional international situation pertaining to the Republic of China on Taiwan so
as to ensure that its twenty-three million people participate, with a direct and
representative voice, in the United Nations and its related agencies.
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