附英文原文

-----------------感染者社群代表团-----------------

2007年9月28日

全球基金秘书处：

　　感谢有关第16次中国昆明理事会的筹备工作的邮件。我代表团对于全球基金秘书处以及中国卫生部对于会议筹备付出的努力表示感谢。

　　社群代表团一直以来都在寻找解决入境限制的切实可行的方法，并且在中国政府做出最终会修改现行法律，以及所有理事会代表团都不需要填写入境检疫卡的承诺后，我们本来已经做出了参加第16次理事会的决定。尽管我们还在讨论决定的细节，但是我们原则上同意参加，并且已经在做着必要的安排。

　　但是，我代表团对于2007年9月1日新近修订使用的签证申请表还是深表关注。尽管我们对于就入境条件的相关立法上做出的修改的积极声明，及对于各方面为寻找解决方案而做出的努力表示感谢，我代表团还是感到有困难而且不适合参加第16次理事会。

　　我代表团从2006年4月（第13次理事会）时就不断地表达对旅行限制的顾虑。我们非常严肃地商议过各种可能的情况以及解决方案，以下我们认为可能可行的两种解决方案以及我们之间的讨论：

　　–　使用以前的签证申请表：首先，我们想知道为什么使用新的签证申请表。我代表团感到，如果要改什么的话，更应该将入境检疫卡中的一些问题去掉。我们对于发送的信息表示担忧，因为这暗示着史无前例地设立了一种新的申请程序。我们不确定这个新的申请表格是否仅仅是为这次理事会使用的，如果是这样的话，这会给未来感染者入境中国开一个不适当的先河。

　　–　豁免：我们原则上不接受对于填写签证申请表格的豁免。我们不支持豁免申请程序，因为不让存在旅行限制而需要申请豁免的国家主办会议的理由是显而易见的。因为这种豁免仅仅在理事会期间有效，这并不能改变各代表团中的感染者今后去中国旅行时无法获得豁免的事实，并且这样做是违背社会公平和权利的。

　　我们强烈呼吁全球基金的领导层及理事会制定相关政策，确保我们（作为理事和组织）不会再次面临这样的困境，并且强烈要求全球基金不要在对于疾病感染者有歧视性的旅行和入境限制的国家召开理事会。

　　我们会一如既往地为全球基金事务而努力，并且认为第16次理事会是一次会产生会许多重要决定的重要会议，但是鉴于目前的情况，我们不能够参会。尽管我们知道大家已经为了筹备这次理事会做了大量的工作，我也感谢那些寻找方法让我们参会的人们，但是我们不得不退回第16次理事会的代表团表格。我们很希望听到其他代表团对于这个问题的看法，但保留我们的态度。

　　此致

艾滋病、结核和疟疾感染者社群代表团
Dr. Francoise Ndayishimiye　　理　事
Javier Hourcade Bellocq　　副理事
Shaun Mellors　　联络员

抄送：Rajat Gupta （主席）
            Elizabeth Mataka（副主席）
            Michel Kazatchkine（执行主任）


-----------------发展中国家非政府组织代表团-----------------

尊敬的全球基金主席、副主席及执行主任：

　　我代表团希望就感染者11月份参加理事会所面临的困难表达和感染者社群代表团一致的看法，包括我代表团的一些成员，以及理事会的许多人都面临着这样的困难。

　　你们知道，在第15次理事会中，社群代表团对于中国的旅行限制表达了明确的立场。他们强烈表示，如果中国只是简单地在11月份对于理事会成员及全球基金工作人员到中国旅行给予签证申请的豁免，而不是修改歧视性和羞辱性的现行法律彻底解决这个问题的话，会开一个很坏的先河。

　　他们的立场得到了理事会其他代表团的广泛支持，在第15次理事会达成了一项大致协议，社群代表团表示必须看到履行约定，允许他们参加理事会的实质性的举措。

　　社群代表团上周的交流显示，尽管中国卫生部做出了努力，但是对于这个问题的讨论却没有取得令人满意的结果。

　　因此，我们完全支持社群代表团，并且建议秘书处做更换理事会地点的计划，确保理事会可以在一个对于艾滋病感染者运动有更加进步的法律的地方召开。

　　如果这个要求不能得到满足，理事会仍然要在中国召开，我代表团将不参加11月的理事会。

　　虽然这个问题极富挑战性，我代表团希望这个问题能够得到快速圆满地解决。

发展中国家非政府组织代表团
Elizabeth Mataka  理　事
Sisonke Msimang  副理事
Cheick Tidiane Tall  联络员

-----------------发达国家非政府组织代表团-----------------

尊敬的执行主任、主席和副主席：

　　发达国家非政府组织代表团对于即将在昆明召开的理事会表达与社群代表团同样的顾虑。

　　在目前的情况下，我们也不能够参加即将召开的理事会，因为9月1日签证申请表的改动证明，对于艾滋病感染者的旅行限制依然存在，并没有改变现行的歧视性法律。

　　这项法律直接影响着我代表团。更为重要的是，我们感到这项法律直接影响着全球基金建立合作关系的原则，与全球基金支持非歧视的、实证的抗击三种疾病干预的原则相违背。

　　我们认为这些话题可以在即将召开的理事会上被特别讨论，并且希望可以找到解决方法，让所有的代表团都可以参加理事会。

　　我们同样对于秘书处及中国卫生部在解决这个问题上所做出的努力表示感谢。

　　但是，如果不能找到一个适当的办法的话，如果理事会不能够改到另一个非歧视的地方的话，我代表团也将不能参加理事会。

　　此致

发达国家非政府组织代表团
Asia Russell  理  事
Anne-Marie Helland  副理事
Jacqueline Wittebrood  联络员

-------------COMMUNITIES LIVING WITH THE THREE DISEASES DELEGATION--------------

28 September 2007

Dear Dianne

Thank you for your letter with regards to preparation around the 16th Board Meeting scheduled for Kunming, China. We do appreciate the effort and hard work by the secretariat and the Chinese Ministry of Health with regards to the preparation of the board meeting.

The Communities delegation has been committed to finding a realistic solution to entry restrictions, and took the difficult decision to participate in the 16th Board meeting after receiving a commitment from the Chinese Authorities that the current legislation would eventually change, and the commitment that none of the board delegations would have to fill out the landing card on arrival. Although the details of this decision still had to be worked out and discussed, we agreed in principle to participate, and proceeded with the necessary arrangements.

However, we are deeply concerned by the latest development related to the revised visa application form as from 01 September 2007. Whilst we appreciate the positive statement around the changing the relevant legislation around entry requirements, and the commitment and hard work from all those concerned in trying to find a solution, our delegation feels that it is difficult and inappropriate for us to participate in the 16th Board Meeting.

Our delegation has raised our concerns around the travel restrictions since April 2006 (13th Board Meeting). We have seriously considered and discussed scenarios or possible solutions to this situation and the two that we thought may be presented as viable, are briefly discussed below;

-          Introducing the previous visa application form: We are concerned as to why the new visa application forms were introduced in the first place. Our delegation feels that if anything changed, changing the landing cards by removing the relevant questions from them, would have been more appropriate. We are worried by the message that this is sending out, and the implications and precedent that this new application process is setting. We are uncertain as to whether withdrawing the new application form would only be relevant for this board meeting, what implications it would have if this is the case, and feel that an inappropriate precedent will be set for future travel and entry into China by people affected by the diseases.

-          Waiver: We are in principle opposed to a waiver on the visa application form. We do not support the waiver application process and there are valid and clear reasons not to host conferences in some countries because of the travel restrictions or the need to apply for a waiver. Whilst the waiver may only be relevant and applicable for the period of the board meeting, it does not remove the fact that people with HIV from various delegations will not have “access” to a waiver for future travel into China, and goes against our principles of social justice and rights.

We do call upon the leadership and board of the Global Fund to develop a policy to ensure, that we (as a board and organisation) do not find ourselves in a position like this again, and strongly urge the Global Fund not to hold board meetings in countries that have discriminatory travel or entry restrictions against people affected by the diseases.

We of course remain committed to the work of the Global Fund, and realise that the 16th Board Meeting is an important board meeting in which key decisions will be made, but under current circumstances we cannot attend. Whilst we are cognisant of the fact that a lot of preparation and work has gone into the preparations for the board meeting, appreciate the commitment from those working on trying to find a solution we have to withdraw our delegation form for the 16th Board Meeting. We look forward to hearing from other delegations on this difficult issue, and remain

Yours in health and solidarity

Dr. Francoise Ndayishimiye
Board Member

Javier Hourcade Bellocq
Alternate Board Member

Shaun Mellors
Communications Focal Point

On behalf of the communities living with HIV, TB and affected by Malaria Delegation.

CC:       Rajat Gupta (Chair)
             Elizabeth Mataka (Vice-chair)
             Michel Kazatchkine (Executive Director)


-----------------DEVELOPING COUNTRY NGO DELEGATION------------------


To: Chair, vice chair and the Executive Director of the Global Fund

We wish to express our solidarity with the Communities Delegation in reference to the range difficulties that they, colleagues within our own delegation who are living with HIV and many others on the Board and in the Secretariat who are also living with HIV will face as they seek to attend the Board meeting in November.

As you are aware, during the 15th Board meeting, the communities delegation made clear their position on the matters concerning travel to China.  They argued powerfully that it would set a bad precedent if China simply waived the visa requirements in order to allow the board and staff of the GFATM to travel to the country in November, without making the necessary commitment to a longer term process of ameliorating the law to ensure that it is not discriminatory and stigmatising.

This position was widely supported by other delegations to the Board, and a general agreement was reached in which the Communities delegation indicated that a demonstrable show of good faith would be acceptable and would allow them to participate in the Board meeting.

The communication of the Communities Delegation as of last week demonstrates that despite the efforts of the Chinese Ministry of Health, there has not been a satisfactory conclusion to these discussions.

Therefore, we fully support the Communities delegation and we therefore propose that the secretariat make plans to change the venue of the Board meeting to ensure that it takes place in a country that has more progressive laws related to the movement of people living with HIV and AIDS.

Should this not be possible, and plans do go ahead for a meeting in China, our delegation will also not be available to attend the November Board meeting.

We look forward to a speedy and satisfactory resolution to this challenging situation.

Elizabeth Mataka (Board Member)
Sisonke Msimang (Alternate Board member) Cheick Tidiane Tall (CFP)

  --------------------DEVELOPED COUNTRY NGO DELEGATION-------------------
Dear Michel, Rajat, and Elizabeth,

The Developed Country NGO Delegation shares the concerns stated by the Communities Delegation regarding the upcoming Global Fund Board meeting in Kunming.

Under the current circumstances, we also cannot attend the upcoming Board meeting, given the restrictions on travel for people living with HIV and the lack of progress in changing this discriminatory law, as evidenced by the September 1 change in the visa application.

This law directly affects our delegation. More importantly, we feel that the law directly affects all of our efforts to implement the Global Fund's principle of partnership, and contradicts the Global Fund's support for non-stigmatizing, evidence-based interventions in the fight against the three diseases.

We recognize that the topics that will be addressed at the upcoming Board Meeting are extremely important. It is our hope therefore that a solution can be found so that all delegations can participate in the Board Meeting.

We also appreciate the efforts from the Secretariat and from the Chinese Ministry of Health to address this issue.

However, if it is not possible to find an adequate solution and if the Board Meeting is not moved to another, acceptable location, then our delegation will also not be able to participate.

Sincerely,

Asia Russell
Developed Country NGO Board Member

Anne-Marie Helland
Developed Country NGO Alternate Board Member

Jacqueline Wittebrood
Developed Country NGO Communications Focal Point