VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1540 1240656
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040656Z MAY 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0019
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5158
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7815
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7689
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1743

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/W, 
 
 
GENEVA FOR DAVID HOHMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO PREL WHO CH TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN RECEPTIVE TO UNILATERAL ADHERENCE TO IHR 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
 
REF: A. STATE 66826 B. BEIJING 08103 
 
¶1.  (U) AIT delivered ref A demarche to Department of Health 
(DOH) Director General Peter Chang on May 2. Drawing from 
points in ref A, ESTHOFF also briefed Chang about U.S. 
efforts in Beijing seeking additional participation for 
Taiwan in WHO health activities. Chang seemed pleased with 
this approach but had some procedural issues he wished to 
raise with AIT. Pls. see action request in para 3. 
 
--Chang said he had met with high-level EU officials during a 
recent European trip and through them learned that WHO had 
already notified some EU members that WHO acknowledged 
Taiwan's participation in the Global Outbreak Alert Response 
Network (GOARN) through Taiwan's Center for Disease Control 
(TCDC) and that Taiwan experts had been put on the GOARN 
contact list. Chang inquired if WHO had notified the U.S. of 
the same. 
 
--As for Taiwan's unilateral assumption of International 
Health Regulations (IHR) responsibilities, Taiwan is unsure 
what the best venue for that would be and at what specific 
time. Chang asked if the U.S. believes that a press 
conference timed before the start of the WHA meetings would 
be most appropriate. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Regarding ref A concerns about statements by Taiwan 
officials favoring full WHO membership for Taiwan, Chang said 
he was aware that a number of Legislative Yuan members and 
NGOs had been lobbying for full WHO membership for Taiwan but 
that they had not yet approached government officials and 
solicited help. Chang said Taiwan's official aim had not 
changed, namely to obtain observer status at the World Health 
Assembly (WHA). In response to ref A concerns about outdated 
and misleading information on Avian Influenza and Taiwan's 
status at WHO on official websites, Chang said that the DOH 
is in the process of revising and updating its website so it 
reflects the current facts and official position. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Action request. AIT requests assistance in verifying 
if WHO Secretariat has communicated with its EU membership 
acknowledging Taiwan's participation in GOARN (and whether 
the U.S. representative has been notified of same). We would 
also appreciate guidance on the best venue and timing for 
Taiwan to announce its unilateral assumption of IHR 
responsibilities. 
YOUNG