Sat, Apr 21, 2007 page1

• US `not in favor' of WHA vote

  WEIGHING IN A US State Department report said that Taiwan's effort to force a vote on obtaining observer status in the health organization could be counterproductive

  • By Charles Snyder / STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
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  The US State Department says that Washington is not in favor of the World Health Assembly (WHA) taking a vote on granting Taiwan observer status in the organization when the assembly meets in Geneva next month if it appears that Taiwan would lose the vote badly.

  The department said in a recent report that such a vote would only strengthen China's hand in its opposition to Taiwan's participation in the annual meetings, hurting Taiwan's chances.

  It also reiterated the US' opposition to full membership for Taiwan in the WHO), the WHA's parent organization, saying that Washington's "one China" policy precludes it from supporting Taiwan's membership in international organizations requiring statehood.

  The department made these policy points in a report to Congress on the US' efforts to secure Taiwan's participation in the WHO.

  The report, dated March 26, was received in Congress on Tuesday, just days after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) issued a call for full membership in the WHO and a week after Chen sent a letter to WHO director-general Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍) seeking membership under the name "Taiwan."

  The annual report was mandated by a law Congress passed in 2004 by lawmakers supporting Taiwan, and requires the administration to devise and implement a plan to secure observer status for Taiwan at the WHA and introduce resolutions in support of Taiwan's participation.

  This was to include steps the State Department was to take to encourage WHO member states to endorse Taiwan's bid and steps the Department would take itself to obtain observer status for Taiwan.

  The eight-page report does not directly address these requirements, but says that the US "remains committed" to working with Taiwan and WHO member states on obtaining observer status for Taiwan at the WHA.

  The department report, which is unclassified, is generally not made available to the public. However, the Taipei Times obtained a copy from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

  "At the 60th session [of the WHA] this coming May," the report said, "the WHA will likely once again take up the matter of whether to grant Taiwan observer status. The US delegation will, as in the past, work to ensure a fair hearing for Taiwan in its bid to be an observer."

  The WHA meeting will be held from May 14 to May 25.

  "We do not favor putting the issue of observer status to a vote so long as the majority of WHO members remain opposed, as we believe that highlighting Taiwan's lack of support may actually reinforce the PRC position," the report said.

  If a vote is taken, the report gives no clue as to whether the US delegate would vote for Taiwan. It does not commit the US to introducing any resolutions.

  However it did say that at the WHA this year, the US "will make clear its commitment to assisting Taiwan in efforts to increase its participation in the work of the WHO, including through observer status at the WHA."

  "We anticipate that a senior United States official will send a letter to the WHO Secretary-General prior to the 2007 WHA, reaffirming our support" for Taiwan's participation in the WHO and observer status at WHA, the report said.

  The department also reiterated its long-standing view that Taiwan "should take the lead in building support" for observer status.

  The department notes that while the issue of Taiwan has been discussed at most WHA sessions since 1996, the discussions have been limited.

  However, "at the WHA in May 2004, the question of Taiwan's observer status was considered at length, dominating the opening day's proceedings and was eventually put to a recorded vote."

  The US and 15 other delegates spoke in support of Taiwan, and 34 spoke in opposition.

  The US delegation called on the WHA to distinguish between membership for Taiwan, which the US made clear it did not support, and observer status, which it said it did support.

  The final vote was 133-25 against Taiwan, with two WHO members abstaining.

  The bulk of the department's report concerns the apparently wide-ranging and intensive efforts the US has taken over the years to secure Taiwan's participation in a number of WHO and other international health initiatives, especially during the SARS pandemic and avian flu outbreaks in recent years.

  In 2005, for instance, "concerted US efforts" with officials from China, the WHO and Taiwan led to a Taiwanese role in some WHO consultations and meetings, especially during public health emergencies, including pandemic vaccine supply, early response to a potential flu pandemic, clinical trials for flu vaccines and a global vaccine research forum.

  The US also plans to participate with Japan in a "joint demarche" to close the gap in global health coverage, and the EU, Australia and Canada have agreed to do likewise, the report says.
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