US objects to UN coronavirus resolution
UNITED NATIONS – The United States on Friday objected to a proposed U.N. resolution on the coronavirus pandemic after diplomats said it had agreed to compromise language with China that didn’t directly mention the World Health Organization, an issue of growing dispute between the world’s two major economic powers.
The U.S. objection to the Security Council resolution drafted by France and Tunisia reflects rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.
It also leaves the U.N.’S most powerful body impotent on reacting to the greatest crisis facing the world – and unable to back Secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ March 23 call for global cease-fires to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, which diplomats said all 15 Security Council members agree on and is the main point of the resolution.
But the United States and China, both veto-wielding permanent council members, have been at odds for almost seven weeks over including a reference to the World Health Organization.
President Donald Trump suspended U.S. funding to the WHO in early April, accusing the U.N. health agency of failing to stop the virus from spreading when it first surfaced in China. He said it “must be held accountable,’’ accusing the WHO of parroting Beijing.
China strongly supports the WHO and insisted the agency’s role in tackling the pandemic be included in any resolution, diplomats said. The U.S. insisted on making no mention of the WHO and including a reference to “transparency” on COVID-19, which China opposed. The French-tunisian draft resolution that was reportedly agreed on Thursday night by both countries and sent to all council members for any objections before 2 p.m. EDT on Friday included what diplomats believed was compromise language acceptable to both countries.
Without mentioning the WHO, the proposed resolution would have emphasized “the urgent need to support all countries, as well as all relevant entities of the United Nations system, including specialized health agencies, and other relevant international, regional and subregional organizations, in line with their respective mandates, to enhance coordination and assist in the global fight against COVID-19.”
There is also no direct reference to “transparency,” but Guterres has called for transparency in the coronavirus crisis, and the draft resolution would welcome “all efforts and measures proposed by the secretary-general concerning the response to the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to conflict-affected countries, in particular his appeal for an immediate global ceasefire.”
Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions on the resolution have been private, said senior U.S. officials objected to the agreed text and blocked its approval.
A U.S. State Department official blamed China on Friday for repeatedly blocking compromises “that would have allowed the council to move forward,” saying it is insisting on using the resolution “to advance false narratives about its response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.”
The U.S. and other council members indicated negotiations will continue.