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Please read the followings and pray for the people in Taiwan... Many thanks...

eggy
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GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. and Asian experts flew to Taiwan
Tuesday to help rescue
operations after a massive earthquake,
while the United Nations awaited a go-ahead
from China before launching its own
coordinating mission.

Search and rescue teams from Britain,
Austria, Germany, Russia and Switzerland
were also on standby, Fabrizio
Gentiloni, deputy director of the U.N.'s disaster
response branch in Geneva, said.

But the United Nations itself was held
back by the fact it does not recognize Taiwan
and needed China's approval.

Chinese diplomats in New York were to
discuss the issue of a U.N. role with Sergio
Vieira de Mello, undersecretary-general
in charge of humanitarian affairs, later in
the day, Gentiloni said.

Taiwan's powerful overnight earthquake killed more than
1,450 people and injured 3,750. More than 1,000
victims remained trapped in the rubble of collapsed
buildings.

UN FACES DIPLOMATIC PREDICAMENT

U.N. relief experts played a key role in coordinating
foreign search and rescue teams from 35 countries in
Turkey's huge earthquake, which killed at least 15,500
people last month.

They are keen to breach any gaps in Taiwan, but face a
diplomatic predicament and want to avoid ruffling
feathers at a time of strained relations between the
mainland and Taiwan.

Taiwan has requested international assistance, and U.N.
officials are playing a facilitating role by passing on
information to donor countries.

Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a rebel province, has yet
to invite in the world body to deploy on the ground,
although six U.N. experts have been ``mobilized,'' Gentiloni
said.

``This is a sensitive issue,'' he told Reuters. ``We would
rather do it in a way that does not disturb the
environment between the two parties, China and Taiwan.''

``A U.N. team is prepared to coordinate those teams on the
ground. As a humanitarian department we are
ready to deploy and assist,'' he added. ``We are awaiting
the formal position from the Beijing authorities.''

A nod from Beijing would also enable more countries to
respond to Taiwan's appeal, as many have legislation
requiring an official government request, U.N. officials
said.

In Tokyo, Japan's Foreign Ministry announced it would send
about 100 police, firefighters and maritime
safety personnel.

U.S. SENDING PLANES

The United States said it was dispatching two military
aircraft with about 70 rescue staff and rescue dogs,
while Singapore was sending about 40 workers and special
dogs.

In Beijing, President Jiang Zemin said he was deeply moved
by the ``agony'' of Taiwan. He added: ``We are
willing to provide all possible assistance to reduce losses
from the earthquake disaster.''

Ties between Beijing and Taipei went sour in July when
Beijing broke off unofficial contacts and staged a
series of military exercises in reaction to remarks by
Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui which it saw as a
dangerous lurch toward a bid for independence.

Beijing has said it is determined to reunite Taiwan with the
mainland and has threatened to invade the
island if Taipei opts for independence.

The Chinese Nationalists fled to Taiwan after their civil
war defeat on the mainland by the Communists in
1949. The Taipei government lost the U.N.'s sole China seat
to Beijing in 1971 and is now recognized by only
a handful of countries.