Image taken from Interpol's website

Taipei, Oct. 16 (CNA) Taiwan is asking friendly countries to speak up at an upcoming meeting of the Interpol executive committee to support Taiwan's participation at the organization's General Assembly next month, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said Tuesday.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said in a statement Monday that it has sent a letter to ask that it participate as an observer in Interpol's General Assembly to be held from Nov. 16 to 21 at Dubai.

Bob Chen (陳龍錦) director-general of MOFA's Department of International Organizations, confirmed Tuesday that Interpol has received the letter sent by CIB Commissioner Tsai Tsan-po (蔡蒼柏) in September but has yet to respond.

Chen said the ministry has asked friendly countries who are members of the Interpol executive committee to speak up for Taiwan at a committee meeting to be held in early November before the assembly begins.

Chen did not identify the executive committee members the MOFA has approached, saying only that the committee has 13 members -- the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Belgium, Russia, Moldova, Singapore, South Korea, South Africa, Nigeria, Albania and the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Taiwan is applying for admission to the General Assembly as an observer for a third consecutive year. Its previous two attempts have failed because of the PRC's opposition, part of Beijing's campaign to suppress Taiwan's participation in the international community.

Established in 1923, Interpol is the world's largest international police organization with 192 member countries.

Taiwan was an Interpol member under the name Republic of China until 1984, when it was replaced by the PRC.

(By Joseph Yeh)
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