The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP-16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December this year (1999). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its sincere gratitude to our friendly nation for sending a letter to Ms. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the Convention Secretariat, before the conference, and for speaking at the High-Level Meeting of the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) in support of our participation in the UNFCCC.
In its letter to the Executive Secretary of Figueres and in its address at the Cancun Conference in Mexico, our allies emphasized that a global response to climate change must ensure a framework of comprehensive participation, and that climate change requires immediate global action from all countries. Given Taiwan's economic and technological strength, particularly its contributions to international cooperation in human development and to addressing climate change, we urge representatives of all countries to agree to invite Taiwan to participate in the UNFCCC process discussions.
The friendly nations that sent this letter supporting my participation in the UNFCCC include: Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, El Salvador, Burkina Faso, São Tomé and Príncipe, Swaziland, and Gambia (13 countries); and the friendly nations that spoke on my behalf at the Cancun High-Level Conference include: Palau, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Belize, Solomon Islands, Panama, Gambia, Marshall Islands, and Nicaragua (9 countries).
Striving for meaningful participation in the UNFCCC is a set policy of our government, and I am willing to actively contribute to the global response to climate change. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sincerely thanks our friendly governments for their unwavering support and assistance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to coordinate and cooperate with relevant ministries to strive for the support of the international community.
– Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China
