WHO FCTC Throws out Public at Moscow Meeting: "What do They Have to Hide?", asks JTI

Geneva (ots/PRNewswire) -

Today in Moscow the public was forced to leave the public gallery
and prevented from observing the WHO FCTC's Sixth session of the
Conference of the Parties (COP6). JTI's (Japan Tobacco International)
reaction:

"Hidden agendas corrupt policy-making processes", said Michiel
Reerink, Global Regulatory Strategy Vice President at JTI. "Today's
decision to shut out legitimate businesses, expert groups and some
media representatives from debates that affect their industry and
areas of expertise demonstrates a blatant lack of transparency,
accountability and integrity. The FCTC just broke its own rules under
the cover of Article 5.3, which is now commonly used as an excuse to
shut out the tobacco sector and anyone who is perceived to be linked
to us. In the meantime, COP is again hijacked by tobacco control
lobbyists who freely exercise undue influence. We urge the FCTC to
take every remaining opportunity to fix this broken process and to
respect rules of good governance, rather than institutionalizing a
policy of closed doors", he concluded.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130528/617491 )

Note to the editors:

JTI recently published an Opinion from leading international law
expert Sir Franklin Berman QC[1], about the WHO's lack of
transparency in tobacco-related meetings. The report was commissioned
after the public, including the media, was prevented from observing
the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP5). In his
Opinion, Sir Franklin confirmed that by excluding the public, COP
breaches its own Rules of Procedure, and that Article 5.3[2] cannot
be used as a justification for exclusion at the Conference. He
concluded that the procedures under which the decisions were taken
were 'highly questionable' and fall far short of what constitutes
sound administrative practice and the rule of law, as recognized in
the 'Recommended Rules and Practices' of the International Law
Association (ILA)[3].

Read the full Opinion by Sir Franklin Berman on jti.com [http://w
ww.jti.com/how-we-do-business/regulating-tobacco-products/framework-c
onvention-on-tobacco-control-fctc ] .

About JTI:

JTI, a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies, is a
leading international tobacco manufacturer. It markets world-renowned
brands such as Camel, Winston and Mevius (Mild Seven). Other global
brands include Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, Sobranie, Glamour and LD.
With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and about 27,000 employees
worldwide, JTI has operations in more than 120 countries. Its core
revenue in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, was USD 12.3
billion. For more information, visit http://www.jti.com.

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1. Sir Franklin Berman QC is in independent practice as a
barrister and international arbitrator. He has extensive experience
of international diplomacy and the workings of international
organizations deriving from his 35 years in the British diplomatic
service, from which he retired as Legal Advisor to the Foreign &
Commonwealth Office in 1999. He sits regularly as an independent
arbitrator in State-to-State disputes and cases between investors and
States, and has been a Judge ad hoc on the International Court of
Justice. He was the Chairman of the International Law Association's
Committee on the Accountability of International Organisations, which
reported in 2004.

2. Article 5.3 of the FCTC states: "In setting and implementing
their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties
shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested
interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law."

3. The Recommended Rules and Practices for international
organizations constitute the most comprehensive treatment of the
general rules of international law that govern the operation of
international organizations. Its starting point is that the
conferment on an international organization of authority and power
brings with it, as a matter of principle, the duty to account for its
exercise, and that this duty ensures to the benefit of all entities,
including private parties, whose interests may be affected by the
organization's activity. The International Law Association (ILA)
Report is accessible at:
http://www.ila-hq.org/en/committees/index.cfm/cid/9

Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130528/617491

ots Originaltext: JTI (Japan Tobacco International)
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information, please contact: JTI Press Office
Tel: +41-22-703-0291 pressoffice@jti.com