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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 3

Written Answers. - World Health Organisation.

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

233 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government in association with the governments of the USA, Japan, and the EU supports Taiwan's efforts to be granted observership status at the WHO and in particular at the World Health Assembly scheduled for May 2003. [13055/03]

The World Health Organisation, WHO, is one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations, and was established in 1948 as the central agency directing international health work. All countries that are members of the United Nations may become members of the WHO by accepting its constitution. Other countries may be admitted as members when their application has been approved by a simple majority vote of the World Health Assembly, WHA, the supreme decision-making body for the WHO, which meets this year at Geneva from 19-28 May. Territories which are not responsible for the conduct of their international relations may be admitted as associate members upon application made on their behalf by the, member or other authority responsible for their international relations.

The issue of Taiwan's membership of the WHO is not on the agenda of the forthcoming meeting of the WHA, although I understand it may be raised at the meeting of the general committee on 19 May. Ireland, together with our EU partners, does not support Taiwanese membership of organisations where statehood is a pre-requisite for membership. However, Ireland, and its EU partners, recognise that all people should be allowed to have access to the highest level of medical care, as set out in the WHO constitution. In light of the issue of severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, Ireland and the EU support Taiwan's co-operation with the WHO, by means compatible with the "one China principle", which would not imply Taiwanese statehood, and where Taiwan's participation would add value in terms of the objectives of the WHO. The EU delegation in Geneva is co-operating on the issue of Taiwanese participation at the WHA with the United States and Japan.

According to WHO statistics of 8 May, there have been 131 reported cases of SARS in Taiwan, resulting in 13 deaths; this is out of a total number of 7,053 reported cases, resulting in 506 deaths. I understand that Taiwan has been in receipt of information from the WHO to assist it in coping with SARS, since the disease first made its appearance late last year.

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