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Updated Monday, September 27, 2010 1:03 pm TWN, CNA

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Taiwan seeks to join ICAO technical meetings

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan is taking an even more pragmatic approach to expansion of its international presence and is now seeking “meaningful participation” in technical meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), rather than direct membership, the local aviation authority said yesterday.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said that entry to major international organizations such as the ICAO is an important pillar of the current government's policy to return Taiwan to the international community after its withdrawal from the United Nations in 1971.

The CAA said that in addition to the efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to gain representation for Taiwan in the ICAO, the CAA will pragmatically seek a presence in various ICAO technical seminars, workshops and conferences.

The CAA will have a lobbying presence at the 37th session of the ICAO Assembly Sept. 28-Oct. 8 at the organization's headquarters in Montreal, Canada, said Cheng Chia-li, a CAA department chief in charge of business planning.

CAA officials will stress the importance of Taiwan's inclusion in the ICAO — a U.N. specialized agency — in order to maintain comprehensive aviation safety, air traffic management and aviation security control in the global aviation service industry, Cheng said.

“We will do our best to at least inform the ICAO members of the contribution Taiwan can make in strengthening global aviation safety, air traffic management and aviation security control,” she said.

It would be a daunting challenge for Taiwan to seek full ICAO membership at the moment, as such status requires first the unanimous consent of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and then the approval of 80 percent of the ICAO's 190 member states.

“In addition, Beijing has not made any statements in favor of such a move by Taiwan, “ she noted. China is one of the five UNSC permanent members.

Taiwan has not been represented in the U.N. since 1971, when the Republic of China's seat was given to the People's Republic of China. Taiwan has tried unsuccessfully to have the world body consider the issue of its representation since 1993, but its efforts have been blocked consistently by Beijing.

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