US embassy cable - 05PARIS2950

UNCLAS PARIS 002950 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO, OES, EURWE 
UNVIE FOR IAEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, PREL, PTER, FR, WHO 
SUBJECT: FRENCH VIEWS ON WHO/INTERNATIONAL HEALTH 
REGULATIONS 
 
REF: STATE 73041 
 
   1.  Acting Science Counselor contacted the MFA and 
   the Health Ministry on April 25 to convey USG 
   position concerning the revision of International 
   Health regulations (reftel) and explain the U.S. 
   position on outstanding issues. 
 
   2.  Our MFA contact stated that while France had 
   strong views on IHR issues discussed earlier 
   (Annex 2, list of notifiable diseases, February 2005 
   meeting), the GOF has no fixed national position 
   concerning the articles which remain to be debated. 
   On these issues, France will support the 
   "harmonized" (consensus) EU position.  While our MFA 
   contact declined to comment on the EU position 
   concerning pending issues, he further indicated that 
   a meeting of main partners, including the U.S., will 
   take place in Geneva on May 2, prior to the May 12- 
   13 final meeting, and that he expected that the 
   "harmonized" EU position will likely be clarified, 
   at least somewhat, after this May 2 meeting. 
 
   3.  Poloff also shared reftel points with MFA 
   official, Pierre Olivier Drai in the Strategic 
   Affairs Section, who expressed appreciation for the 
   information and promised to forward it to other 
   relevant personnel in the MOD. 
 
ROSENBLATT