義大利與台灣停航 外交部官員:WHO誤導所致

(中央社記者溫貴香、游凱翔台北1日電)中國武漢疫情延燒,國安人士今天表示,台灣被WHO列成與港澳一樣屬於中國,導致台灣航班被義大利與越南禁止入境,國安團隊第一時間啟動緊急處理,越南已解禁,義大利則持續交涉中。

另外,外交部長吳釗燮明日上午也將親自召開記者會,就越南、義大利禁航我國航班一事進行說明。

因應中國武漢肺炎疫情,繼義大利宣布禁止台灣航班後,越南下午一度禁止台灣航班入境,引發各界譁然,總統府、行政院密切關注兩起個案,國安團隊第一時間展開因應,由外交部、交通部民航局分頭進行交涉,越南晚間已經宣布解禁。

國安人士晚間受訪表示,事件發生的主因確實是因為台灣在世界衛生組織(WHO)被列成與港澳一樣都是屬於中國。再加上這次WHO一直配合中國,到了最後才不得不宣布疫情是緊急事件,造成各國立即升高戒備。

國安人士說,這也連帶讓這些國家在決策時,直接就以WHO的列表為準,錯誤的把台灣列入中國疫區,其他在衛生合作或各種事務上跟台灣往來比較密切的國家,例如美國,就不會犯這種錯,在正式的防疫聲明,都標明華航是台灣的,不是來自中國。

該人士進一步說,第一時間國安團隊就啟動緊急處理,外交部、交通部等部門立即進行交涉,交涉中也才知道,這些狀況是蒙受中國的池魚之殃。

另外,今天媒體傳出,緬甸政府為因應武漢肺炎,暫停從台灣出發的所有航班,外交部發言人歐江安表示,外交部獲報後立即請駐緬甸代表處向緬甸移民主管機關確認,緬甸當局已禁止中國籍旅客申辦落地簽證,但並未包含台灣,也未禁止台灣籍航班出入緬甸國境。(編輯:紀淑芳)

(中央社記者張茗喧台北1日電)外交部歐洲司長姜森今晚表示,義大利昨天宣布禁止台灣航班入境,問題根源在於世界衛生組織(WHO)把台灣視為中國的一部分,誤導義大利衛生部門與民航局做成上述決定,外交部持續與義方交涉,並且對WHO的做法表達嚴正關切。

義大利政府昨天宣布禁止中國、香港、澳門與台灣的航空公司班機入境,姜森在中央流行疫情指揮中心的記者會上答覆問題時說,義大利政府做成這項決定,是因為WHO把台灣置於武漢肺炎疫情陷入「危機」的中國轄下,使義大利方面受到誤導。

姜森說,因此WHO是「問題的根源」。

他表示,義大利這項決定不合理,因為台灣鄰近有武漢肺炎病例更高的國家,義大利卻只禁止台灣航班入境。

他說,外交部除了繼續與義大利方面交涉,爭取改變昨天的決定,也對WHO誤導外界的做法表達嚴正關切。

外交部長吳釗燮明天將召開國際記者會,預料將會針對此事向各國媒體說明立場。

據了解,義大利外交部昨天在宣布決定的聲明中,把中港澳台攬在一起,後來已將中港澳跟台灣分開。

經過台灣方面的交涉,義大利方面同意華航2日派飛機前往羅馬,把滯留的旅客接回台灣。(編輯:陳正杰)

The Italian government announced it was suspending all flights between Italy and China and declared a state of emeergency in the country after doctors confirmed two Chinese tourists in Rome had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza has issued a “decree closing air traffic to and from China,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a news conference late on Thursday, without giving a list of the affected airlines.

“We think we are the first EU country to take this precautionary measure,” Conte added after reporting that the two Chinese visitors to the capital had the virus.

The tourists, reportedly husband and wife, were being held in isolation in the Spallanzani infectious diseases institute in Rome.

“I’m confident that the situaion will remain contained,” Conte said.

Police sealed off the room they had been staying at a hotel in the centre of the capital, and other Chinese tourists who had arrived in Italy as part of the same tour group were being tested for the virus, Italian media said.

Spallanzani director Giuseppe Ippolito said authorities were tracing the couple’s movements. They are believed to have arrived in Italy in the northern city of Milan over a week ago.

The news came as the UN health agency WHO declared an international emergency over the coronavirus from China, which reported its biggest single-day jump in deaths.

But the World Health Organization said there was no reason to restrict flights and trade partly because it might disrupt needed aid.

Over 6,000 tourists spent Thursday stranded on a cruise ship at Civitavecchio, a port north-west of Rome, after authorities said two Chinese passengers were feared to have the coronavirus.

Those two supsected cases tested negative, and passengers were allowed to disembark on Thursday night.