NIYAZOV ORDERS WEEKLY UPDATES ON AI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000270

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY)
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR JAMES HIGGISTON
TASHKENT FOR ESTH (PUTNAM)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX
SUBJECT: NIYAZOV ORDERS WEEKLY UPDATES ON AI

REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 253

B) ASHGABAT 173 AND PREVIOUS
C) STATE 153802

Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution


1. (U) PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP
ON AVIAN INFLUENZA.

MINISTER REPORTS TO PRESIDENT
--------------


2. (U) AT THE MARCH 3 CABINET MEETING, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF
THE CABINET OF MINISTERS AND MINISTER OF HEALTH AND
MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) GURBANGULY BERDIMUHAMMEDOV
REPORTED TO THE PRESIDENT ON THE GOTX'S STEPS TO PREVENT
AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI). TURKMENISTAN'S PROGRAM INCLUDES
STRICT CUSTOMS AND BORDER CONTROL, EPIDEMIC AND
VETERINARY SANCTIONS AGAINST AI-AFFECTED COUNTRIES, AND
THE ACQUISITION OF 1,000 DOSES OF TAMIFLU AND OTHER
PROTECTIVE AGENTS. HE SAID THAT THE MEANS TO DIAGNOSE AI
IS AVAILABLE ON BOTH THE NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL LEVELS.

"TURKMENISTAN IS AI-FREE COUNTRY"
--------------


3. (U) THE MINISTER REPORTED THAT 10-15 MILLION
MIGRATORY FOWL TRANSIT TURKMENISTAN IN SPRING. TO
PREVENT HUMAN AND POULTRY CONTACTS WITH THE MIGRANT
BIRDS, THE GOTX HAS DEVELOPED AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, INTRODUCED A TEMPORARY HUNTING BAN
AND SET TIGHT CONTROL OVER WATER RESERVOIRS AND POULTRY
FARMS. BERDIMUHAMMEDOV EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO ITS CLIMATE
AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, TURKMENISTAN IS A LOW RISK
COUNTRY FOR AI AND REASSURED THE PRESIDENT OF THE
COUNTRY'S CURRENT AI-FREE STATUS. NIYAZOV ORDERED THAT
BERDIMUHAMMEDOV PROVIDE HIM WEEKLY UPDATES.

APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE TO UN
--------------


4. (SBU) On March 3, 2006 the MOHMI sent a letter to UN
Resident Coordinator Richard Young asking for support
from UN agencies in providing 4,000 protective suits for
medical staff exposed to avian flu samples during
testing, five four-wheel drive vehicles for delivering
samples to the National Reference Lab, two laboratory
luminescent microscopes, lab reagents and test systems,
two trainings for 70 epidemiologists and two trainings
for 40 lab specialists.

International AI Thematic Group Meets
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5. (SBU) On March 6, the UN Avian Flu Thematic Group,
which includes a USAID representative, gathered at the UN
Building and discussed possible assistance in response to
the letter addressed to the UN. The collective decision
was to help the MOHMI draft a proposal for assistance,
which would detail how the requested funds would be used
and monitored.


6. (SBU) The WHO Liaison for Turkmenistan visited the
State Veterinarian Service and discussed its lab
capabilities in diagnosing avian flu. Currently all
samples from dead birds in Turkmenistan are tested there.
So far, not a single tested sample has been determined to
be infected. One possible explanation for the negative
results is that samples are often transported to the lab
only after significant delays and in conditions that
could allow for degradation of the virus to undetectable
levels.


7. (SBU) The WHO office received five containers to be

ASHGABAT 00000270 002 OF 002


used for the transportation of potentially infected birds
to reference labs in Europe for confirmation. Lufthansa
has agreed to transport samples for testing.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (SBU) THE HIGH PROFILE NATURE OF BERDIMUHAMMEDOV'S
FIRST PUBLIC REPORT PROBABLY WAS INTENDED TO AVERT OR
DISPEL RUMORS. NEVERTHELESS, THE MINISTER OVERSTATED THE
GOTX LEVEL OF READINESS AND RESPONSE. FOR INSTANCE,
PROVINCIAL LABORATORIES ARE STILL NOT CAPABLE OF AI
DIAGNOSING AND THE NATIONAL LABS CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY SIX
TESTS KITS, ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE VIROLOGICAL
LABORATORY AT THE STATE VETERINARY SERVICE. THE
"EXTENSIVE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN" IS LIMITED TO A
POULTRY BAN AT FOOD MARKETS AND INFORMATIONAL FLIERS AT
SELECTED LOCATIONS. END COMMENT.

JACOBSON