KEEP POLITICS OUT OF THE
WHO; LET TAIWAN IN
SPEECH OF
HON. BARNEY FRANK
OF MASSACHUSETTS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2008
- Mr. FRANK
of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, one of the gravest errors that political
leaders can make is to let politics get in the way of fundamental health
needs. The clearest example of this that I know of in today's world is the
insistence by the People's Republic of China on blocking membership for
Taiwan in the World Health Organization.
- During the
bird flu epidemic, the exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO was an
interference with our ability as a global community to provide maximum
protection for people against this terrible disease. There is of course a
strong moral reason against excluding the millions of people from Taiwan
from the benefits that they would receive from WHO participation. But for
those for whom morality and respect for other human beings is not enough
reason to overcome an effort to gain political advantage, self-interest
should dictate to the PRC support for Taiwanese accession to the World
Health Organization.
- This is
especially the case now that travel between Taiwan and other places,
including those under PRC rule has greatly increased. Ideology and
sovereignty are no defense against germs and viruses. The World Health
Organization does very important things in defense of humanity against
illness, but its ability to perform that role is hampered by the exclusion
of Taiwan from the World Health Organization and in all of our interests,
I believe that our Government should be taking every possible step to
ensure that the World Health Organization extends to Taiwan full
membership.
![Seal of the House of Representatives](housesea2.gif)
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