U.S. opposes Chen's idea of referendum in U.N. bid

An official with the U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity, urged President Chen Shui-bian to drop his call for a referendum on applying for U.N. membership under the name of Taiwan.

The official reiterated that the United States supports "Taiwan's inclusion in appropriate international organizations that do not require statehood for membership," but it would not support Taiwan's quest to join international organizations that require statehood, including the United Nations. The official also said the U.S. opposed any initiatives that appear to be designed to change unilaterally Taiwan's status, including a referendum on "whether apply to the U.N. under the name of Taiwan." He urged Chen to exercise leadership by rejecting the proposed referendum. (Source: Herman Su, Taiwan News, Jun 20, 2007).

In a State Department press breifing on June 19, Spokeman Sean McCormack stated:

We support Taiwan's inclusion, as appropriate, in international organizations that do not require statehood for membership. Consistent with our one China policy, we do not support Taiwan's membership in international organizations that require statehood, including the United Nations. The United States opposes any initiative that appears designed to change Taiwan's status unilaterally. This would include a referendum on whether to apply to the United Nations under the name Taiwan. While such a referendum would have no practical impact on Taiwan's UN status, it would increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is of vital interest to the people of Taiwan and serves U.S. security interests as well. Moreover, such a move would appear to run counter to President Chen's repeated commitments to President Bush and the international community. We urge President Chen to exercise leadership by rejecting such a proposed referendum.