US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI2125

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 002125 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ASEC, TW 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S PREPARATIONS FOR WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY 
MEETING 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 84885 
 
     B. GENEVA 1142 
     C. BEIJING 7300 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas H. Paal, Reason 1.4 (b/d) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  AIT's Deputy Director met with John Chen, 
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) International 
Organizations Director General, to discuss issues related to 
Taiwan, the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the 
World Health Assembly (WHA).  Chen and a delegation will 
travel to Geneva on May 12 to spearhead Taiwan's 9th bid to 
obtain observer status in the WHA.  The Deputy Director 
encouraged Chen to stay focused on the IHR four-part 
"package" already agreed to by the PRC and Taiwan last 
February and not to get bogged down squabbling over 
nomenclature clauses that could derail progress already made. 
 Chen responded that while Taipei understands this, 
nomenclature is nonetheless important to Taiwan and he could 
not guarantee his superiors would agree to the suggestion. 
Chen also discussed Taiwan's proposed changes for revising 
the draft WHA resolution in para 6.  Action request for 
EAP/TC and UNMIGeneva in para 8.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) In a meeting on May 10, The Deputy Director assured 
Chen and MOFA Section Chief for UN Affairs Bob Chien that the 
USG will continue to work on Taiwan's behalf to ensure the 
IHR "package" is adopted.  Chen responded that no progress 
has been made on the fourth component of the package, a WHA 
resolution calling for the WHO Director-General to implement 
the IHRs universally.  Taipei, he continued, expects the 
fourth component to be included in next week's discussions in 
Geneva but currently has no information on its status.  He 
explained that Taipei fears if progress is not made on the 
fourth component, Beijing might claim the package unworkable. 
 The Deputy Director responded that the PRC had agreed in 
principle to this package last February in Geneva and that we 
expect Beijing to abide by the four components.  Chen asked 
the Deputy Director to query Washington and Geneva to make 
sure the fourth component is not being hindered by the third 
component, which provides for an exchange of letters between 
WHO and Taiwan on how they deal with each other on 
IHR-related matters.  The Deputy Director promised to convey 
the question to Washington and Geneva. 
 
3. (C) Chen then raised the nomenclature issue, explaining 
that this is very important to Taipei.  The Deputy Director 
told him that Taiwan has much to gain from the four-part 
agreement, which would be a very positive step forward for 
Taiwan, adding that it is important to be as pragmatic and 
flexible as possible while the "package" framework is being 
finalized.  Chen responded that Taipei will be flexible, but 
not if the dignity of Taiwan's people is compromised.  He 
could not, moreover, assure AIT that his superiors would be 
willing to abandon negotiations on the nomenclature issue. 
The Deputy Director pointed out that with limited time and 
diplomatic capital available, Taiwan must choose which 
objectives are most important. 
 
4. (C) Chen then explained that if the situation in Geneva 
sours for Taiwan, Taipei plans to force a vote on Taiwan's 
bid for observer status in the WHA.  The Deputy Director 
questioned the logic of this tactic and asked Chen what 
Taiwan would gain by forcing such a vote.  Chen replied that 
it would publicly show which countries oppose Taiwan and 
alert the world to Taiwan's unfair exclusion from the WHA. 
It would also, he believed, demonstrate to the world that 
support for Taiwan is increasing, noting that new countries 
that may support Taiwan this year include Nauru, Mongolia, 
and possibly some African nations.  The Deputy Director 
advised Chen that not pressing for a vote might be the most 
practical option unless there are clear indications of strong 
support, which, currently, there are not. 
 
5. (C) Focusing on Taipei's goals for the WHA meetings, Chen 
stated that Taiwan wants to be identified as a separate 
health territory authority similar to that agreed for 
Taiwan's WTO accession.  He proposed using the "separate 
customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu" or 
the TPKM agreement as a model for Taiwan's WHA observer bid. 
He added that they would reluctantly also agree to "Chinese 
Taipei" as a short form of the name.  Taiwan, he said, also 
wants its CDC to serve as the focal point for Taiwan in the 
WHA.  Finally, Chen asked the Deputy Director to pass a 
request to Washington that the USG serve as Taiwan's "case 
manager" for the 2 2 debate on its WHA observer bid.  Chen 
explained that Taiwan needs an experienced party to temper 
debate among the PRC and Taiwan.  The USG, he added, would 
ensure that Taiwan is fairly represented. 
6. (C) Chen also passed to the Deputy Director the following 
Taiwan request for revisions to the draft WHA "Revision of 
the IHR" resolution: 
 
(Begin quote) 
 
Regarding the draft WHA resolution on the Revision of the 
International Health Regulations (IHR), it is proposed to 
insert the following after point 5.(6) "to take all 
appropriate actions to facilitate the universal application 
of the revised International Health Regulations" (in sequence 
of our preference): 
 
1) including inviting Taiwan to attend all relevant meetings 
and conference convened by the Organization, accepting the 
CDC-Taiwan as an IHR Focal Point, and inviting Taiwan to 
assume the rights and obligations of IHR Participants. 
 
or 
 
2) including inviting the health authorities exercising sole 
effective control over health situation in all territories 
which may be affected by the diseases subject to the 
Regulations to attend all relevant meetings and conferences 
convened by the Organization, accepting their respective IHR 
Focal Points, and inviting them to assume the rights and 
obligations of IHR Participants. 
 
or 
 
3) including providing ample access for relevant meetings and 
conferences in pursuit of the universal application. 
 
(End quote) 
 
7. (C) Comment: Taipei has a good opportunity to make 
significant progress with the IHR four-part agreement.  The 
challenge is to keep Taiwan focused on real, achievable 
progress via the four components instead of squabbling over 
nomenclature, a point which AIT is not confident can be 
achieved.  Some of Taiwan's senior officials, including 
Foreign Minister Mark Chen, have stated that Taipei will not 
compromise if the nomenclature issue cannot be resolved. 
Such an all or nothing approach could derail the months of 
hard work that went into hammering out the four-part 
agreement on Taiwan's behalf.  AIT is hopeful that common 
sense will prevail among Taiwan officials next week in 
Geneva, and that Taipei will work along the lines of the IHR 
four components. 
 
8. (C) Action Requests.  Please provide instructions on how 
we should respond to the following questions posed by 
Taiwan's MOFA: 
 
(1) The status of the fourth component of the IHR "package" 
and if the third component is hindering passage of the fourth 
component. 
 
(2) Taipei's request that the USG serve as Taiwan's "case 
manager" for the 2 2 debate on its WHA observer bid. 
 
(3) Taiwan's proposed changes for revising the draft WHA 
resolution. 
PAAL