ALL PHOTOS
More than 60 States supported the proposal of the government of Australia to undertake an independent investigation of the emergence of COVID-19
Photo: NIAID / flickr.com
China, Wuhan, January 28, 2020
Painjet / commons.wikimedia.org
Mary Payne
Photo: DFAT / flickr.com
On the eve of opening on Monday in Geneva Assembly of the world health organization (who) initiative of Australia and the European Union to undertake an independent investigation of the source of the coronavirus in the world was supported by 62 countries, reports “Interfax” with reference to the Australian broadcasting Corporation ABC. Support for the initiative is growing steadily.
The initiative calls for “impartial, independent and comprehensive assessment of the who-coordinated international response in the health care field for COVID-19”.
The proposal does not specifically mention China or Wuhan, which is believed to have started the outbreak.
However, according to sources in the Australian government, the wording of the EU proposal were tough enough to ensure proper and thorough investigation, although they still call it a “first step” towards transparency.
At this stage, according to television and radio, was supported by Russia, Japan, UK, South Korea, Turkey, Indonesia and South Africa. USA did not support it.
The Minister for foreign Affairs of Australia, Maris Payne noted that we are talking about “independent review of the pandemic with the aim to help the world learn the lessons needed to protect global health.”
In turn, the press Secretary of the foreign Affairs Council of the EU VA Batu Henriksson noted that the EU intends to reach a consensus: “We need the support of all the major players, and China is one of them.”
Diplomats of the EU and Australia on Sunday continued their efforts to persuade all major powers to support them.
Initiative investigation sparked furious condemnation from Beijing, which accused Australia, first voiced this idea in a political attack on China.
American diplomats, in turn, insist on a more rigid formulation, which would be called upon to investigate the origin of the virus, starting with China. The President of the United States Donald trump and Secretary of state Mike Pompeo has repeatedly accused China of concealing information about the virus that, in their opinion, has become one of the causes of the pandemic.