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WHO board passes Chinese amendment to IHR-related draft bill

ROC Central News Agency

2008-01-23 23:53:18

    Geneva, Jan. 23 (CNA) The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) passed a China-proposed amendment to a draft bill regarding implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Wednesday by a vote of 25-3, thereby nullifying an alternative pro-Taiwan proposal.

    The pro-Taiwan proposal, forwarded by it's diplomatic ally, Paraguay, would have amended a draft bill on the IHR implementation to emphasize the principle of universality: a key facet of Taiwan's diplomatic campaign for meaningful participation in WHO activities.

    Glossing over the setback, Taiwan's representative in Geneva Lyushun Shen said, "In the Chinese amendment, the principle of universality we sought is included anyway, " adding that by making effective use of the rules and procedures, Taiwan has successfully brought international attention to the issue of its participation in global health collaborative efforts.

    In a roll call of the 34-member board, 25 members, including the United States and Japan, voted for the Chinese proposal; five European Union states abstained, while only Taiwan's diplomatic allies Paraguay, El Salvador and Sao Tome and Principe voted against it. One member, Moldova, was absent.

    According to the original draft bill on the Implementation of International Health Regulations (2005) , the WHO Secretariat was to call on the 61st World Health Assembly (WHA) -- due to convene in May -- to reaffirm "its commitment to the timely and effective implementation" of the regulations. The draft bill will be put forward for endorsement at the annual meeting of WHA, the WHO's governing body.

    Paraguay moved Tuesday that the word "universal" be added to the passage, which would then read "(the WHA) reaffirms its commitment to the timely, effective and universal implementation" of the IHR.

    According to Shen, the difference in wording is symbolically meaningful "because everybody knows it's about Taiwan, although it doesn't explicitly mention Taiwan."

    Finding it hard to outright object to the wording, which already appears in Paragraph 3, Article 3 of the IHR, China tabled a counter amendment while nonetheless expressing support for the principle of universality. It proposed that the passage be changed to read "the WHA reaffirms its commitment to implement fully the IHR in accordance wit the purposes and scope set out in Article 2 and the principles embodied in Article 3 of the Regulations."

    China's amendment emphasizes other paragraphs of Article 3 more favorable to its position. Paragraph 2, for instance, states the implementation of the IHR "shall be guided by the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of the World Health Organization" while Paragraph 4 reads that in accordance with the UN Charter and the principles of international law, states have "the sovereign right to legislate and to implement legislation in pursuance of their health policies."

    China claims that Taiwan is not a sovereign state and therefore cannot enforce the IHR.

    The "universal application" wording was introduced to the IHR three years ago thanks to the firm support of the United States and Taiwan's diplomatic allies as well as sympathy from the EU and Japan.

    Before the vote, Paraguay requested that its amendment be merged with that of China, but the latter disagreed. The chairman ruled that since the Chinese amendment was further removed in substance from the original proposal and should -- according to procedural rules -- be voted on first. If passed, this would automatically invalidate the other amendment. ¡]By Y.C. Jou)

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