Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO3454
2007-07-29 00:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
WHO: JAPANESE CONCERNS ABOUT SINGAPORE IWG
how-toVZCZCXRO5051 PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD DE RUEHKO #3454 2100045 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 290045Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5925 INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 7039 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 2282 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1334 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 4707 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5880 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3056 RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8507 RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 003454
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE
DEPT FOR OES/IHA
DEPT FOR EAP/J WEBSTER
USDA PASS TO APHIS CLIFFORD
HHS PASS TO CDC, NIH
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND WADWHA
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO KSTH ECON PREL SOCI EAGR JA
SUBJECT: WHO: JAPANESE CONCERNS ABOUT SINGAPORE IWG
REF: STATE 103509
UNCLAS TOKYO 003454
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE
DEPT FOR OES/IHA
DEPT FOR EAP/J WEBSTER
USDA PASS TO APHIS CLIFFORD
HHS PASS TO CDC, NIH
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND WADWHA
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO KSTH ECON PREL SOCI EAGR JA
SUBJECT: WHO: JAPANESE CONCERNS ABOUT SINGAPORE IWG
REF: STATE 103509
1. (U) This message contains an action request - See para. 6.
2. (SBU) On July 27, EST Officer confirmed with officials at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Health,
Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) that they received the U.S. Non-Paper in
reftel through their participation in the International Partnership
on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI) core group conference call
on July 26.
3. (SBU) MHLW Office of International Cooperation Director, Hajime
Inoue expressed appreciation for U.S. preparations for the upcoming
WHO Interdisciplinary Working Group (IWG) in Singapore, but asked
for clarification on how the U.S. Non-Paper relates to a July 16
"Chair's Draft" that MHLW received from the WHO Secretariat. (A copy
of the Chair's Draft has been forwarded to G/AIAG via unclassified
email). Although he understood that the U.S. Non-Paper was meant to
supplement the Chair's Draft, he expressed concern that the two
documents have "a different set of structures" and asked for further
U.S. views on the Chair's Draft. Inoue also mentioned that he
expected Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien of Thailand would serve as
Chairman of the Singapore IWG.
4. (SBU) MHLW's Inoue also raised what he felt was a common concern
among IPAPI core countries that without an initial draft agreement
text to work from, it would be difficult to produce a final product
by the end of the Singapore IWG. He said he knew of no plans by any
IPAPI core country or the WHO to prepare a draft text. Moreover, he
expressed concern that virus sample source countries may prepare
their own draft, and that Japan does not want to see a "one-sided
text to serve as the basis for discussion". He asked whether the
U.S. planned to prepare a text that other like-minded countries
could endorse.
5. (SBU) According to MOFA Specialized Agencies Division Officer,
Chie Nakajima, MOFA is still discussing the U.S. proposal and has no
additional comments at this time. Nakajima and MHLW's Inoue plan to
attend the Singapore IWG as part of Japan's delegation, which will
be led by MHLW Blood and Blood Products Division Director, Dr.
Eiichi Seki. MHLW Infectious Disease Control Division Director, Dr.
Takuaki Shobayashi, will also attend.
6. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: In response to GOJ questions raised in
paras 3 and 4, Post would be grateful for any views or guidance the
Department can provide on the Chair's Draft document and the issue
of a draft agreement text for the Singapore IWG.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE
DEPT FOR OES/IHA
DEPT FOR EAP/J WEBSTER
USDA PASS TO APHIS CLIFFORD
HHS PASS TO CDC, NIH
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND WADWHA
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU TBIO KSTH ECON PREL SOCI EAGR JA
SUBJECT: WHO: JAPANESE CONCERNS ABOUT SINGAPORE IWG
REF: STATE 103509
1. (U) This message contains an action request - See para. 6.
2. (SBU) On July 27, EST Officer confirmed with officials at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Health,
Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) that they received the U.S. Non-Paper in
reftel through their participation in the International Partnership
on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI) core group conference call
on July 26.
3. (SBU) MHLW Office of International Cooperation Director, Hajime
Inoue expressed appreciation for U.S. preparations for the upcoming
WHO Interdisciplinary Working Group (IWG) in Singapore, but asked
for clarification on how the U.S. Non-Paper relates to a July 16
"Chair's Draft" that MHLW received from the WHO Secretariat. (A copy
of the Chair's Draft has been forwarded to G/AIAG via unclassified
email). Although he understood that the U.S. Non-Paper was meant to
supplement the Chair's Draft, he expressed concern that the two
documents have "a different set of structures" and asked for further
U.S. views on the Chair's Draft. Inoue also mentioned that he
expected Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien of Thailand would serve as
Chairman of the Singapore IWG.
4. (SBU) MHLW's Inoue also raised what he felt was a common concern
among IPAPI core countries that without an initial draft agreement
text to work from, it would be difficult to produce a final product
by the end of the Singapore IWG. He said he knew of no plans by any
IPAPI core country or the WHO to prepare a draft text. Moreover, he
expressed concern that virus sample source countries may prepare
their own draft, and that Japan does not want to see a "one-sided
text to serve as the basis for discussion". He asked whether the
U.S. planned to prepare a text that other like-minded countries
could endorse.
5. (SBU) According to MOFA Specialized Agencies Division Officer,
Chie Nakajima, MOFA is still discussing the U.S. proposal and has no
additional comments at this time. Nakajima and MHLW's Inoue plan to
attend the Singapore IWG as part of Japan's delegation, which will
be led by MHLW Blood and Blood Products Division Director, Dr.
Eiichi Seki. MHLW Infectious Disease Control Division Director, Dr.
Takuaki Shobayashi, will also attend.
6. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: In response to GOJ questions raised in
paras 3 and 4, Post would be grateful for any views or guidance the
Department can provide on the Chair's Draft document and the issue
of a draft agreement text for the Singapore IWG.
SCHIEFFER