Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco said Wednesday in Taipei that his country will continue its support for the Republic of China's bid to enter the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
Pacheco made the remarks at a meeting with President Chen Shui-bian on the eve of a summit between heads of state of the ROC and Central American countries to be held Thursday in Taipei.
The Costa Rican president noted that both the people and the government of his country have been quite satisfied with and grateful for various cooperation projects with the ROC, and hope that both countries can further strengthen cooperation in tourism and environmental protection.
For his part, Chen expressed gratitude to Pacheco for his personal attendance to a WHO ministerial meeting last year to speak in favor of Taiwan's participation in the organization. Pacheco will also personally attend this year's U.N. General Assembly in September to push for ROC's reentry to the organization.
Noting that medical cooperation should have no boundaries, Chen stressed that the ROC aspires to be a WHO observer to assume its responsibility in the world community.
Meanwhile, Chen said he was sorry that he could not attend in July the inauguration ceremony of a bridge in Costa Rica built with the assistance of Taiwan due to outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on the island earlier this year.
However, he added that he hopes President Pacheco can accompany him to witness the splendor of the bridge when he visits several Central American countries in November.