US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON328

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP-TRAMSEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, PREL, PTER, NZ, WHO 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND ON WHO INTERNATIONAL HEALTH 
REGULATIONS 
 
REF: STATE 73041 
 
1. Post delivered reftel points April 21 to New Zealand's 
Ministry of Health.  On April 22, Andrew Forsyth, team 
leader of the Ministry's Public Health Legislation Review, 
reported that he was still working with the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs and Trade to formulate New Zealand's 
positions for the negotiations to revise the International 
Health Regulations (IHR), May 12-13, in Geneva.  While he 
believes New Zealand will agree with the United States on 
some issues, his government will want to proceed in a way 
that does not detract from achieving the IHR's revision. 
He noted that New Zealand has always supported an all-risks 
approach by the IHR, instead of a narrow focus on pre- 
determined diseases or threats.  However, given the 
resistance to making the definition of disease less 
explicit, New Zealand would like to retain an all-risks 
approach that maximizes the number of countries that feel 
comfortable with the IHR revisions.  Post will report septel 
any additional feedback from the New Zealand government. 
 
2. Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, chief public health adviser for 
the Ministry of Health, will participate in the May 12-13 
negotiations. 
 
BURNETT