Tobacco Documents Online

PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE 120 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y 10017 TO: FROM: SUdJECi: Distribution DAEEt Mary Pottorfvt World Health Assembly (WHA) Geneva, 5-16 May, 198 1. WHQ "Program on Sffoking and Health: The Adverse Health Effects of Tobacca Use." on the agenda for consideration and vote at the !KM is a resolution entitled "Tiobacco or Health" which is based on a Report by the Director General of Mo. The 48-page report is emative, inaccurate and a clear indication of the politicization of WHCD and the strong anti business activities of this world body. Analysis of the inZHO activities by a ann.itoring organization is attached (Al-7). In case you've not seen the Report and/or the Resolution, copies are appended. 2. iOC Action Alert. Because of anti-private sector prejudice andd adversarial approach to business and consumers reflected in the WHO Report, the International Chanber of Cccmiaarce has sent out an Action Alert to all IC7C National Cuunittees urging them to ccrmnini.cate to their national goverrumts the concerns of the business earm2nity: A oopy of the final draft is attached (Bl-7). The Alert went out to IOC_.National Conmittees late last week. 3: PL4 Action. April 21, 1986 We ask you to contact subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees and those with whan we have manufacturing arrangements in your Region to enlist their support and ask them, where they are nxmhers, to contact the ICC National Ccctmittees (Attachment C) and urge them to: A) take very seriously the anti-business prejudice reflected in the WitW resolution; nrabilize their members into a forceful lobby and approach the Ministries most negatively affected by this anti business activity of WHO - namely the Ministers of Agriculture, Trade/Econanics, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Labor; and

C) encourage those Ministers to make their positions knvwn to the Minister of Health or whonever will be representing their country at the WHA. Although the Action Alert is caning fran the IOC, Ctanbers are not accustaned to such advocacy positions, they will need your strong stppoxt and e.nco~.:~ragement. 4. hdabying Aids. ° F.xcellent argtmfentation has been presented by the Tdsacco Industry Council in Zimbabwe (Dl-8). ° Statane.nt of Rio de Janeiro (E1-5). ° Responses to frequently asked questions (Fl-4). 5. Action t:o Date: ° Regional luncheons were organized with Amba.ssadors fran Africa, Asia and Latin America. The guests and industry teain for your Region is attached (Attac,hmsnt G). ° Reactions fran diplanats generally favorable to industry position, i.e., that if the tWHO resolution in its present form is accepted at the WHA, it would have far-reaching socio-econanic ingsact. ° Several Amhassadors felt that rather than opposing or trying to amend individual items in the resolution, the best hope for rationality would be to suggest that the resolution be held , over and not voted on this year with a view to ensuring that the far-reaching consequences mentioned above could then be ' thoroughly examined fran a national, regional and international point of view. As regards the latter, the Latin Americans prepared the Rio Declaration and the Zi:ntkad:*m Association issued their own position paper. ° Many of the diplanats by now should have informed their Governcnents of the recatmendations made at the working luncheons. • ° An important point was made at one of the lunches - and one which should be stressed widely - to the effect that the WE3O resolution on tobacco is the only one of its kind that advocates the elimination of an entire industry and socio-eoancni.c sector. -If

Without exception, the Geneva and Rome Missions stated that any action taken by them could be no substitute for a direct approach by industry officials in their cocne country. ° Francisco Moreno and other industry memUers have organized an outstanding effort in Latin American countries. You'll receive within the next couple of days an outline of their modus operandi. 6. Strategy. In the best of all possible worlds, we want the Resolution 1) defeated. Failing that, we would like to have the Resolution: 2) tabled until the next tM, or 3) taithdrawn frcm the Agenda prior to the TAM on the grounds that it goes beyond health issues and its implementation would put at risk a whole socio-econanic sector. Consequently the political, socio-econanic and agricultural repercussions should be exanined thoroughly before passing such a resolution. hastly, 4) Abstention with qualification by delegates. They would not oQpase the resolution, but explain that they believe further research into political and socio-econanic repercussions is needed. The tnM reccaTnendation that tobacco not be cultivated, cmmercialized or made into cigarettes or any other product, would mean the total elimination of our entire industry. This is very serious business. We need all the effort you can nuster. DISTRIBifi'IQ+1: M. Horst P. Francis F. Mareno J.B. Robinson C. von Maerestetten M. Winokur 4t- cst cc: G. Bible 0 H. Cullman R. W. Mttrray R. Snyder A. Whi.st o~