[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 131 (Thursday, September 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS REJECTED TAIWAN'S BID FOR 
                               MEMBERSHIP

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                             HON. BILL SALI

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 6, 2007

  Mr. SALI. Madam Speaker, the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs 
(OLA) rejected Taiwan's bid for membership, according to a July 23 
statement posted on the UN Chinese language website. The OLA said its 
decision was based on UN Resolution 2758, which recognized the UN's 
``one China'' policy.
  The UN Secretariat's rejection of Taiwan's application was reactive 
and hasty. It should allow Taiwan's application to be duly processed in 
accordance with the relevant rules of procedure of the United Nations. 
Also, I believe that the OLA's reference to UN Resolution 2758 as a 
basis for rejecting Taiwan's bid was anachronistic.
  Resolution 2758 assumes that the People's Republic of China has legal 
jurisdiction over Taiwan. This is a dubious assertion. Taiwan has been 
independent of the PRC since 1949, and in recent years has had a robust 
political system characterized by competitive parties, active public 
participation and political liberty--values all Americans embrace.
  It is unreasonable to claim that the PRC presumes to speak for a land 
and people over which it has no control. If the United Nations is 
founded on the principle of the equality of sovereign nations, it has 
no reason not to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation. On that 
basis it would seem that the UN must and should give Taiwan 
representation.
  As noted, Taiwan in 2007 is free and democratic. In Taiwan, direct 
presidential elections have been held, political parties are 
proliferating and Taiwan has become one of the freest countries in 
Asia. As the UN claims to be the forum for resolving international 
differences, it should give fair and thorough consideration to Taiwan's 
application for membership in the United Nations and letting the 23 
million people of Taiwan have due representation in that world body.
  I presume that Taiwan will probably not succeed in joining the United 
Nations this year, but Taiwan's case is compelling. It is unfortunate 
that Taiwan has been treated so poorly by the United Nations. We ask 
the UN Secretariat to rescind its rejection of Taiwan's application and 
let the application go forward to the Security Council and the UN 
General Assembly for a vote.

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