U.S. calls on Taiwan's inclusion in ICAO as assembly opens

Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) The United States supports Taiwan's participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) triennial assembly set to open Tuesday in Canada, the country's de facto embassy in Taiwan said Tuesday.

"The United States strongly supports Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization," the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a Facebook post.

The U.S. also urges ICAO Secretary-General Juan Carlos Salazar and President Salvatore Sciacchitano "to facilitate Taiwan's participation as a guest of the Council president at the 42nd ICAO Assembly," it said.

"Taiwan's participation in ICAO enhances global aviation safety and security," it added.

AIT represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

AIT's public call came ahead of ICAO's 42nd assembly, which will officially open at the organization's headquarters in Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday and run until Oct. 3.

Taiwan is not a United Nations member and therefore not part of ICAO, a specialized U.N. agency.

The country last attended the ICAO assembly in 2013 as a guest of the council president, at a time of warmer cross-strait relations under the then-Kuomintang (KMT) administration.

Despite not receiving an invitation, a Taiwan ICAO action team led by Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) Deputy Director-General Lin Jiunn-liang (林俊良) has arrived in Montreal, where it is to meet with delegations from diplomatic allies and friendly nations to raise awareness of the necessity of Taiwan's participation in the ICAO.