WHO UPDATE

This past March, several Reps. introduced HR4004 stating that "The Secretary of State shall initiate a United States plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual week-long summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland, and shall instruct the United States delegation to Geneva to implement such plan."

On May 15, at the summit in Geneva, the WHO steering committee spent a mere 20 minutes to discuss the issue and decided not to list the Taiwan issue on the agenda due to opposition from seven member nations: China, Cuba, Pakistan, Uruguay, Russia, Bangladesh and Cape Verde.

The happenings in Geneva have emboldened the bill’s supporters such as Reps. Sherrod Brown and Ben Gilman in their conviction to pass the bill. Rep. Brown has approached Majority Whip Tom DeLay who has expressed his support for the cause. With some modifications, FAPA will continue to seek passage of the bill in the House and Senate.