[科技政策] 臺灣正式以觀察員身份獲邀出席世界衛生大會

[科技政策] 臺灣正式以觀察員身份獲邀出席世界衛生大會

「昨天晚上睡不著，等了13年，終於來了！」對於臺灣受邀加入WHA觀察員，衛生署長葉金川如此表示，強調「臺灣不能缺全世界，全世界也缺臺灣不可。」

衛生署長葉金川於4月28日晚間接獲世界衛生組織幹事長陳馮富珍的邀請函，邀請「中華台北（Chinese Taipei）衛生署」署長率團在今年5月18日出席於日內瓦舉辦的第62屆世界衛生大會（WHA）擔任觀察員。這是在長達十三年的努力、於三十八年後再度出席世界衛生大會，也是臺灣國際參與的一項重大突破。世界衛生組織親自致函衛生署長葉金川，並以中華台北衛生署署長葉金川博士稱呼，使用正式官銜，顧及臺灣尊嚴。

正值 H1N1 新型流感(新流感)引起國際關切之際，我國能重新加入 WHA 觀察員身分，葉金川認為這是 WHO、我國及中國大陸三贏的局面，他也表示，會將臺灣過去抗SARS、禽流感、愛滋等防疫，以及菸害防治與全民健保等寶貴經驗透過這個管道與國際分享交流。

中華民國駐日代表馮寄台於4月29日針對臺灣受邀出席 WHA，特別像日本朝野各界多年來的支持與協助表達感謝，例如日本外務省發言人在4月9日曾經重申，日本政府支持台灣以觀察員身分參與 WHA 的立場不變。 他表示，正值目前豬流感（H1N1新型流感）在全球肆虐之際，確信台灣參與WHA可對國際防疫工作有所貢獻。

華府智庫史汀生中心（Stimson Center）東亞研究室主任容安瀾在接受中央社訪問時表示，在兩岸都各自堅持其基本原則的情況下，台灣出席WHA獲得突破，成功展現了兩岸的創意與彈性。據報導，他表示若今年台灣未獲邀請，那不但將代表馬英九政府務實爭取加入聯合國特殊功能機構努力的挫敗，也將象徵兩岸關係的倒退。容安瀾特別指出，兩岸發展必須步步謹慎，應暫時擱置主權問題擱，聚焦於實質議題，不要太拘泥形式。他認為，此次的事件發展或許將有利於兩岸互信的加強，在這樣的基礎上或許可進一步擴大臺灣參與國際活動，不過臺灣仍須特別注意北京是否將中止2005年與WHO秘書處簽訂的諒解備忘錄，該備忘錄要求所有台灣參與WHO的活動，都必須先獲得北京的批准。容安瀾說，中止諒解備忘錄，無論是正式中止或僅是暫時停止執行，應是「符合邏輯的一步」，也會讓台灣更感受到善意。。


深入資訊：
今日新聞 2009/04/29
自由時報 2009/04/29
聯合新聞網 2009/04/29
中央社 全球視野 2009/04/29
中央社 2009/04/29



[Sci-Tech Policy] Taiwan Has Been Officially Invited to WHA as Observer

“I couldn't fall asleep last night; after thirteen years of waiting, finally here it comes!” Minister of Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Ching-Chuan YEH showed his feeling about Taiwan's being invited to the World Health Assembly (WHA) as observer; he stressed, “Taiwan cannot do without the world; the world cannot do without Taiwan as well!”

Minister of Department of Health Ching-Chuan YEH received the invitation letter from World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret CHAN on 28th-Apr., via which WHO invited Department of Health of “Chinese Taipei” with its representative team led by the Minister to the 62nd WHA as the observer member. After thirteen years of effort, Taiwan is going to participate WHA again, since its last participation 38 years ago. This is a significant breakthrough to Taiwan's international participation. In the invitation letter, the Minister of Department of Health is entitled as “Minister of Department of Health, Chinese Taipei Dr. Ching-Chuan Yeh,” with the official title, which takes into account Taiwan's national dignity.

At the very time of H1N1 new type influenza drawing international attention, Taiwan can as the observer rejoin WHA, which Ching-Chuan YEH believes to be the triple-win among WHO, Taiwan and China. YEH expressed, Taiwan will bring the experience of anti-epidemics such as SARS, bird influ, AIDS etc., and the experience of execution about tobacco hazard control and National Health Insurance to the world by means of the platform.

Taiwan representative in Japan John T. J. FENG acknowledged various governmental and non-governmental parties or groups in Japan which has kept supporting Taiwan's participation in WHA; for instance, Japan government restated Japan's position on supporting Taiwan's participation in WHA as an observer has never changed on 9th-Apr. FENG expressed his belief that Taiwan will has its contribution to the international anti-epidemic control over swine influenza (H1N1 new type influenza) in so far as Taiwan can participate WHA.

Director of the East Asia Program of the Washington think bank Henry L. Stimson Center Alan D. ROMBERG expressed in a CNA-News interview that under the circumstance where China and Taiwan both preserve each's own fundamental principle could allow for such a breakthrough in Taiwan's attempt to attend WHA shows the creativity and reflexibility in the cross-Strait relations vividly. According to CNA report, ROMBERG believes if Taiwan were not invited to WHA this year, this would not only indicate the Ma Ying Jiu government's failure in the attempt to practically enable Taiwan as a special organization to join the United Nations, but also symbolize the regression of cross-Strait relations. ROMBERG specified further that the cross-Strait developments should be carried out carefully, putting aside for the time being the issue of sovereignty, focusing on practical issues and neglecting the unnecessary formalisms. He was reported to hold that the present event is supposed to become a reinforcement of the mutual trust across the Straits, based upon which Taiwan may as well further extend its international scope. But, he added, Taiwan should pay attention to whether Beijing (Peking) terminate the 2005 memorandum with WHO Secretariat, which keeps the agreement that any Taiwan's participation in WHO's activities requires China's approval. ROMBERG said, the termination of the memorandum, or even the temporary suspension is ought to be a “just logical step,” and will let Taiwan conceive more sincerity.


Further Information:
NOWNews 2009/04/29 (Chinese)
Liberty Times E-paper 2009/04/29 (Chinese)
UDN.com 2009/04/29 (Chinese)
CNA Global View 2009/04/29 (Chinese)
CNA-News 2009/04/29 (Chinese)



(編輯記錄)