AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN SIGNS KABUL DECLARATION

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000478 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: AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN SIGNS KABUL DECLARATION ON CONTAGIOUS DISEASES REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 385 AND PREVIOUS B) 05 STATE 153802 Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution. ¶1. (U) AT AN APRIL 17-20 REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN KABUL DEDICATED TO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AND ORGANIZED BY USAID AND WHO, TURKMENISTAN'S DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) BASHIM SOPIYEV SIGNED A REGIONAL DECLARATION TO FIGHT AGAINST CHOLERA, HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, POLIO, TUBERCULOSIS AND AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI). AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, PAKISTAN, TAJIKISTAN, IRAQ, AND TURKEY ALSO SIGNED THE DECLARATION, WHICH FOCUSED ON INFORMATION SHARING, IDENTIFYING VULNERABLE PEOPLE, AND PREPARING GUIDELINES AND STRATEGIES TO CURB CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED NEWSPAPER NEUTRALNYI TURKMENISTAN REPORTED ON THE DECLARATION IN AN APRIL 26 FRONT-PAGE ARTICLE. ¶2. (SBU) Deputy Director of State Veterinary Service Hudaiberdy Muhammedov told Pol/Econ Asst on May 2 that the MOHMI asked the State Veterinary Service to nominate a candidate to attend the Kabul conference, but the MOHMI held the invitation until the last moment so the Veterinary Service nominee did not have time to get a visa. (Note: The State Veterinary Service maintains the national AI reference library. End Note.) As a result, only MOHMI representatives attended the conference. Comment -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The MOHMI took full control over Turkmenistan's epidemiological monitoring in 2005, and since that time MOHMI has created numerous obstacles for the Veterinary Service which hinder its epidemiological monitoring. The Kabul conference invitation is thus par for the course. Local observers believe the GOTX attended the conference and signed the declaration to counter international criticism for avoiding regional cooperation in the past. Local observers and embassy doubt the GOTX will follow through on its declaration commitments of greater transparency and information sharing. End Comment. JACOBSON