Delivering his speech at the United Nations 73rd General Assembly Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves continued the battle cry for Taiwan and questioned its exclusion from world affairs.
Gonsalves said that the UN which justly counts among its member states some with populations as small as 10,000 people, somehow continues to remain blind to the 23 Million residents of Taiwan.
The Prime Minister said St Vincent’s pragmatism allows it to see the world as it is, unencumbered by historical or ideological blinders.
Gonsalves told the assembly that there is simply no principled basis to deny Taiwan the right to participate in the work of the specialized agencies of the United Nations.
Taiwan lost its seat on the Assembly in 1971, when the U.N. chose to recognize the People’s Republic of China instead.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and denies that Taiwan is a sovereign state. It is also adamant about preventing Taiwan membership in the UN system.
St Vincent and the Grenadines established diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 1981.
