US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN515

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000515 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, PREL, PTER, ETRD, WHO 
SUBJECT: IRELAND'S RESPONSE TO WHO DEMARCHE 
 
REF: A. STATE 73041 
     B. STATE 27576 
 
1.  On April 28, Post delivered ref A talking points on WHO 
International Health Regulations (IHRs) to James McIntyre, 
Department of Foreign Affairs First Secretary for EU Common 
Policies and the OECD (with responsibility for WHO). 
McIntyre said that Ireland generally shared U.S. views on the 
outstanding issues identified in ref A, but recognized the 
need for further EU-U.S. discussions on thresholds for 
rejecting reservations on IHRs by States Parties.  He noted 
the strong Irish dimension to the IHRs revision process, with 
Irish Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Mary Whalen, as the 
Intergovernmental Working Group Chair, and with former Irish 
Attorney General and EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer 
Protection, David Byrne, as WHO Special Envoy.  McIntyre 
observed that Ireland therefore had a special interest in 
finalizing negotiations on revised IHRs that reflected 
current public health realities and bridged, as far as 
possible, States Parties' differing viewpoints. 
 
2.  Emboff also reviewed ref B points cautioning against IHR 
revisions that could conflict with States Parties' rights and 
obligations under other relevant agreements, particularly 
regarding trade.  McIntyre said that the Irish Mission in 
Geneva had fully taken these points on board.  He added that 
since Ambassador Whalen and the Irish Mission had 
responsibility for both WHO and WTO matters, they were keen 
to avoid conflicts between the revised IHRs and States 
Parties' trade commitments. 
BENTON