JAPAN ON TAIWAN OBSERVER STATUS BID FOR WHA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002439

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR OES/IHA AND EAP/TC LEVY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2016
TAGS: TBIO PREL JA TW WHO
SUBJECT: JAPAN ON TAIWAN OBSERVER STATUS BID FOR WHA

REF: STATE 66826

Classified By: EST M/C Joyce B. Rabens for Reason 1.4 (B/D)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6.


2. (SBU) ESToff met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
Global Issues Department Official Yuka Fujino on May 2 to
discuss the U.S. position on the Taiwan observer status bid
in advance of the World Health Assembly (WHA). He drew from
the points sent in reftel demarche but did not leave a
non-paper.


3. (C) Fujino thanked ESToff for the information. Tokyo
also welcomes the MOU between China and the WHO signed last
year and supports Taiwan's participation in technical
health-related meetings. Fujino said that Tokyo's current
position is that it "supports the discussion on Taiwan's
observership." When ESToff asked for further clarification,
Fujino responded that the ambiguity was there because Tokyo
is still considering its official position. Tokyo does not
plan to make any statements during the Two-by-Two debates,
but will most likely make some type of a general statement at
the plenary underscoring the importance of active
participation in health related meetings and processes of all
parties regardless of political borders or situations.
Fujino explained that in the end, Tokyo was moving in the
direction of Washington's position.


4. (C) Fujino asked several follow-up questions regarding
the U.S. position. She wondered how the United States
envisioned Taiwan's unilateral assumption of the IHRs to
materialize and how Taiwan's reporting would be accepted by
the WHO. If there is an emergency and the WHO needs to enter
Taiwan, which government authorities would the WHO approach
to authorize it? Would it be Taipei or Beijing? She also
asked if it was confirmed that the U.S. would not participate
in the Two-by-Two debates given that the U.S. delegation does
not intend to speak on the issue of Taiwan observer status.



5. (C) Finally, Fujino asked if ESToff could confirm whether
the U.S. had any plans to ask for a vote on Taiwan's status
at the WHA. She said that since other parties have also
focused on the question of Taiwan's WHO status during their
discussions with Japan, the U.S. position would be useful
information for Tokyo to consider. Fujino explained that if
support for Taiwan's observer status does not increase, such
a vote would be counterproductive. On the other hand, even
if there is a relatively small increase in the number of
supporters, this could signal to other parties that positions
are changing and more countries support Taiwan's observer
status.


6. (U) Action request: Post requests any further information
EST can use to respond to Fujino's questions as MOFA prepares
for the late May WHA.

DONOVAN