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