Wed, Sep 19, 2007 page3

• Chen stands firm on plebiscite

  DEMOCRACY IN ACTION The president repeated his position that there was no good reason for the US to oppose a referendum on joining the UN under the name `Taiwan'

  • By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER
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  With the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly set to convene in New York today, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday in Taipei that Taiwan's proposed referendum on UN membership is a natural part of the country's democratic development and in line with US interests.

  Dismissing US criticism that the planned referendum is a provocative act and an election ploy, Chen said a referendum was democracy in action and therefore had universal value.

  "To hold a referendum on joining the United Nations under the name `Taiwan' is to let the 23 million people of Taiwan decide the future of the country and to let the world know what values and ideals they want to pursue," he said. "Such a referendum is a natural development of Taiwan's democratic evolution and in keeping with US interests."

  Chen made the remarks while addressing the 13th annual convention of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce.

  Thanking businesspeople based abroad for braving the rains brought by Typhoon Wipha to attend the event, Chen said Taiwan had experienced many difficulties since he took office in 2000.

  "China has stepped up efforts to intimidate and suppress Taiwan on a daily basis. They suppress our presence on the international stage, seize our business opportunities and hurt the feelings of our people. We have put up with their irrational and merciless repression for too long," he said.

  China

  Chen said Taiwan had failed in its previous attempts to join the UN, WHO and other international organizations because of pressure from China.

  "This makes us realize that it is useless to use a compromised name to apply for membership. Taiwan can only face the world with the name `Taiwan' because Taiwan is the name of our country and our motherland," he said.

  Meanwhile, Government Information Office Minister Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said yesterday that all private organizations, including religious institutions, are welcome to participate in the nation's bid to join the UN under the name "Taiwan."

  Shieh also denied a newspaper report that the administration footed the bill for a statue of Matsu (馬祖) -- the goddess of the sea -- to be sent to New York to take part in a series of activities designed to promote Taiwan's UN bid.

  stunt

  He said the stunt had cost about NT$30 million (US$909,090), but that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had contributed only a small part of the total.

  He said the Matsu procession in New York -- the first in the 300-year history of Fengtien Temple -- was mainly sponsored by the private, Taipei-based Paper Windmill Cultural and Educational Foundation.

  Shieh added that the giant advertisements in support of the UN bid would remain in place in front of the Presidential Office and the Executive Yuan until the bid is successful.

  "[The ads] were temporarily taken down because of the typhoon. But I assure you that they will be restored immediately after the typhoon and remain there until we make it [into the UN]," he said.

  Additional reporting by CNA and Jimmy Chuang
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