Date: 31 Jul 96 13:29:14 EDT

From: Christiane VERBEECK <101562.3313@CompuServe.COM>

To: "INTERNET:Pr.Bruxelles@agora.stm.it"

Subject: Re: Taiwan

Dear friends, A resolution on Taiwan by the EP is better than nothing. However, there is one essential respect in which the Taiwan problem is identical to the Tibet Question: no other nation can decide for a given nation whether it wants independence or not. As you no doubt recall, this is the main point made by Prof. Klein, of the Potsdam university, at the Hearing on Tibet in the Bundestag, 19 June 1995.

Therefore, as you mention in your message, the UN resolution 2578 of October 25th 1971 on the expulsion of Taiwan - a perfectly virtuous member of the organisation- is not only illegal; it is scandalous.

By the same token, so are the manoeuvres with which the governments of the countries of the EU -some against the express will of their peoples- attempt to prevent Tibet, a once independent country that has never harmed them, from breaking free of its invaders' tyranny.

And, by the same token still, the EU should perhaps stop giving Russia all that money with which it is destroying Chechnya. Here lies a nice task for the EP!

Chechnya was and is a clear case: the peoples of the Caucasus do NOT want to be Russian colonies. Without our money, they wouldn't even be able to buy the fuel for their tanks and planes. what is the EP doing about stopping aid to Russia?

No nation can speak for another nation where independence is concerned: this point ought to receive more prominence at the EP and needs to be stressed again and again.

If our beloved politicians didn't stray as often and as much from legality and international law, the number of bombs and so-called terrorists would shrink considerably, I believe. The best way to make them toe the line is, according to me, a nice press campaign, preferably in leading newspapers. Good luck!

Christiane