IRELAND'S RESPONSE TO WHO DEMARCHE

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