Foreign ministers from the group of 7 major industrialized nations including the United State, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan failed to agree on joint statement because Mike Pompeo out Coronavirus as Wuhan virus.
Ministers from G7 countries held a video conference to talk about how to help prevent spread of virus known as COVID-19. But ministers were reportedly unable to agree on some common points because of United State’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s call for COVID-19 to be identified as Wuhan virus.
The meeting of G7 was scheduled in Pittsburg but got cancelled. It couldn’t be held on venue due to coronavirus pandemic. Rather than cancelling the meeting the organization planned to hold a video conference which continued for four hours this Wednesday.
G7 Members Response on Pompeo Calling Coronavirus Wuhan Virus
According to news reports other members of the group rejected to use the term Wuhan virus and wanted to use COVID-19 which is the term used by World Health Organization. In their view that is an unnecessary conflict at the time when international cooperation is required to fight this deadly pandemic.
But the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brushed off the criticism and reportedly stated that it was important to point out the area from where the virus came. He also added that China should have warned the world about the danger of the virus earlier.
Statement from the US State Department
The statement released by State Department about G7 conference informed the meeting focused not only to resolve the health crisis due to Wuhan virus but also the economic challenges that they were facing globally.
Pompeo shared about G7 conference on his twitter handle and reiterated that Wuhan virus was their main agenda.
The World Health organization and Center of Disease Control discouraged the act of referring of novel coronavirus by a geographic denomination because it was likely to raise discrimination and targeted violence against Asian Americans.
According to reports the WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that “having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Faces Criticism on Calling Coronavirus Wuhan virus
David Ignatius columnist for the Washington Post opined that the respected Secretary of State’s reference of Wuhan virus was an embarrassment that would shock his predecessors as Secretary of State
Calling coronavirus as Wuhan virus was deemed downright racist.
Katie Simpson CBC News foreign correspondent confirmed that the conference ended without any joint statement
Journalist Palki Sharma commented that even Chinese owned media refered it as Wuhan virus.
Chief National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto said that G7 failed to release a statement because Trump Administration insisted on adding word Wuhan virus.
President of United State Donald Trump faced criticism on referring coronavirus as Wuhan virus.
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