TAIWAN'S "SECOND STAGE" WHA EFFORT: BACK TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000551

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/TC, IO/T AND OES
PASS TO HHS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/21/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV TBIO WHO AORC CH TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S "SECOND STAGE" WHA EFFORT: BACK TO
OBSERVERSHIP


Classified By: AIT Director Stephen M. Young. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) Summary. Fully expecting WHO to reject President Chen
Shui-bian's letter to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan
applying for WHO membership, MOFA plans a "second stage"
effort applying for observership. MOFA hopes the World
Health Assembly (WHA) opening sessions on May 19 can host a
two-by-two debate on observership that would not delay the
day's meetings. Arguing that this approach will be a bridge
for the incoming, more pragmatic Ma Ying-jeou administration
which takes office on May 20, MOFA requests U.S. (and Japan
and EU) support for this latter "more moderate" effort.
Action request in para 8. End Summary.


2. (C) MOFA/IO Dir-Gen David Lin requested a meeting with
Japan Interchange Association (JIA) Political Chief Koichi
Itoh and AIT Political Chief on April 18 to discuss Taiwan's
WHA plans, explaining that he met with EU reps the preceding
day. Lin stated that President Chen Shui-bian's letter to
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan was actually "stage one"
of a two-stage process. President Chen, he said, had
personally made the decision to send the letter applying for
Taiwan WHO membership and expressing willingness to accept
observership in response to pressure from his deep-Green
supporters. The letter was delivered April 17 to the WHO
Secretariat in Geneva, which will likely return it to Taiwan

SIPDIS
or one of its diplomatic partners sometime in the next day or
two.


3. (C) With "stage one" effectively ended and Taiwan not
planning to push a full-scale membership drive as it did last
year, Lin explained, "stage two" will kick in: a separate
WHA agenda proposal by Taiwan allies in support of WHA
observer status for "Taiwan" (a draft of which has been
e-mailed to EAP/TC). MOFA requested the meetings to elicit
U.S., Japan, and EU support for the WHA agenda proposal,
which, Lin stressed, is "just a draft that can be modified."
MOFA "seeks U.S. and Japan advice" on the draft wording in
order to prepare a revised draft acceptable to Taiwan's
friends so that the final resolution can be submitted by the
May 13 deadline for agenda proposals.


4. (C) Lin explained that MOFA is trying, with its "more
moderate" second-stage approach to WHA, to smooth the
transition for the new Ma Ying-jeou government that will take
office the next day on May 20. Acknowledging that Ma
publicly advocated Taiwan apply for observership under the
name "Chinese Taipei," Lin insisted that, based on his close
contact with the Ma camp, Ma is actually flexible on
nomenclature. (Comment: We have no indication that this
flexibility extends to the extent of accepting the term
"Taiwan," however.)


5. (C) Taiwan hopes to pursue a 2-by-2 discussion on its
agenda proposal in the WHA sessions on May 19, Lin explained.
Taiwan does not want to delay the WHA meeting, and thus
hopes that following the 2-by-2 format will be less
disruptive and will avoid a vote on the resolution. Using
the 2-by-2 format in the WHA meetings, Lin argued, will also
obviate all 23 Taiwan allies speaking up and, thus, will not
delay the WHA meetings.


6. (C) Lin requested U.S. and Japanese views on the draft
proposal for Taiwan WHA observer status, stressing that
Taiwan is willing to modify the wording in response to
suggestions. AIT and JIA's Itoh pointed out that the wording
of the draft WHA agenda appeared problematic. For example,
applying for Taiwan "to participate in the WHA as an observer
before it is admitted to the WHO as a full member" would
appear to commit the WHA to membership for Taiwan, an
unacceptable commitment to the PRC and many members. Lin
responded that Taiwan could "just drop that phrase,"

TAIPEI 00000551 002 OF 002


reiterating that this is "only a draft" and inviting U.S. and
Japanese suggestions. FM James Huang, he explained, will
determine the final agenda proposal without recourse to the
Presidential Office, Lin opined, but Huang would be on much
stronger ground if he did so based on "feedback from the U.S.
and Japan."


7. (C) When Lin complained that there had been no progress
regarding Taiwan participation in the WHO's International
Health Regulations (IHR's),AIT and JIA responded by
acknowledging this regrettable state of affairs, but pointing
out that Taiwan exclusion had been exacerbated by its
decision last year to push for full membership under the name
"Taiwan." Lin responded by emphasizing that Taiwan will not
continue pushing its membership application this year, unlike
last year. AIT noted that President Chen's letter, which
contravened his earlier public pledge to work with the
incoming Ma administration in devising Taiwan's WHA strategy
this year, represented a lost opportunity at this critical
juncture to push forward Taiwan participation in WHO. Lin
responded that MOFA hopes the damage "can be contained" and
that Taiwan can begin to move forward in WHO by focusing on
MOFA's more moderate second stage. This, he argued, is in
line with Ma's more pragmatic approach and with U.S. and
Japan support for observership.


8. (C) Action Request: MOFA/IO Director-General Lin
requests U.S. views and suggestions regarding the proposed
WHA agenda proposal (e-mailed to EAP/TC in the classified
channel) before Taiwan coordinates with its WHO-member
allies.
YOUNG