DEMARCHE IN SUPPORT OF TAIWAN OBSERVERSHIP AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000749 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/ , NEA/REA, AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2014 TAGS: AORC PREL TW BA WHO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE IN SUPPORT OF TAIWAN OBSERVERSHIP AT WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY REF: STATE 102782 Classified By: POL/ECON Gregory N. Hicks for reason 1/5(b)(d) POL/ECON Chief delivered reftel demarche on May 12 to MFA Director of International Organization Affairs Ghassan Shaikho. He volunteered that the Chinese had already approached him on the issue. They assured him, he said, that the WHO and Taiwan had developed a mechanism for the WHO to work with the Taiwanese together on SARS, despite Taiwan's lack of observer status at the WHO Assembly. Without offering further substantive comment, Shaikho promised to relay our position to the Minister. NEUMANN