US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday expressed skepticism about the short-term possibilities for a global pandemic treaty that is currently under negotiation and which has been criticized in many Western countries.
Member-nations of the World Health Organization have spent over two years now discussing an agreement aimed at stopping another global catastrophe like Covid-19.
It will be continuing until Friday, with the decision to be made during next week’s assembly of the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
“There is little possibility that negotiations could end successfully in the coming days,” Blinken said while answering a question challenging him on this potential deal during a Congressional hearing.
There’s no agreement, he said.
The United States still collaborates with “many countries all over the world to ensure we are better prepared for next time, they are better prepared – they have their own ability to detect, cope with and where necessary produce things like vaccines,” Blinken added.
“That whole conversation is out there but again I don’t think it would be concluded anytime soon” he added after confirming that much of this letter was his own opinion and not necessarily administration policy.
Among other things, Blinken promised that America would insist on our interests such as intellectual property rights being included in any future text while some congressmen argued that intellectual property rights issues could lead to China obtaining American technology
Opposition to a pact has grown within several countries including America, Britain and vaccine sceptics who argue that these deals will limit states’ sovereignty
In a recent letter by three Republican senators — John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis and Ron Johnson –WHO was accused of seeking control over nation states.
“From total and foreseeable failure through lasting hurt our country experienced because of WHO’s conduct amid covid-19 outbreak” – they once wrote explaining why first thing American must do is reform UN system
Anything signed by two-thirds of Senators would need approval from Congress as required by the Constitution; making it almost impossible for any controversial proceeding to get approved.
However, Blinken did not categorically commit the Biden administration to submitting any possible pandemic agreement as a treaty to the Senate.
“If there is constitutional requirement, we will meet it”, Blinken said.
