AVIAN INFLUENZA: TURKMENISTAN NEUTRAL ON

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000741 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR SCA/CEN ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR TASHKENT FOR ESTH (PUTNAM) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: TURKMENISTAN NEUTRAL ON POULTRY IMPORTS REFTEL: ASHGABAT 682 AND PREVIOUS Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution. ¶1. (U) ON JULY 3 THE EMBASSY RECEIVED A DIPLOMATIC NOTE FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) IN RESPONSE TO THE EMBASSY'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN'S CURRENT RESTRICTIONS ON POULTRY IMPORTS. THE FOREIGN MINISTRY REPORTED THAT THE STATE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SERVICE (SES) OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTIFICATION OF POULTRY IMPORTS. HOWEVER, THE MINISTRY NOTED THAT "SES IS NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE AT THE PRESENT TIME." ON JUNE 9, A LOCAL U.S. POULTRY IMPORTER, WHO REQUESTED AN IMPORT PERMIT, RECEIVED THE SAME NONCOMMITTAL ANSWER FROM SES CHIEF LEYLA SHAMURADOVA, WHO WROTE THAT "IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A STABLE ANTI-EPIDEMIC SITUATION IN TURKMENISTAN AND PREVENT INFECTIOUS DISEASES, THE MINISTRY WOULD NOT REVIEW AT THIS TIME ANY ISSUES RELATED TO THE CERTIFICATION OF POULTRY PRODUCTS TO BE IMPORTED INTO THE TERRITORY OF TURKMENISTAN." ¶2. (SBU) DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE STATE VETERINARY SERVICE HUDAIBERDY MUHAMMEDOV TOLD POLECON ASST ON JULY 7 THAT THE CURRENT IMPORT BAN WAS IMPOSED ONLY ON LIVE BIRDS AND EGGS FROM AVIAN INFLUENZA-INFECTED COUNTRIES, INCLUDING IRAN, TURKEY, KAZAKHSTAN, RUSSIA AND CHINA. Muhammedov said there is no restriction on U.S. chicken quarters; U.S. chicken quarters are available at Ashgabat food markets. Comment -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Embassy staff requested clarification of the July 3 diplomatic note from the MFA, but were told by Americas Desk officer Begench Garayev that the "diplomatic note should be understood as it is written;" he did not offer a Rosetta stone for interpretation. The cryptic response is simply another example of government officials refusing to take responsibility for policy decisions they either make or enforce. The SES does not want to leave a paper trail that implicates the health ministry in allowing possibly tainted food into Turkmenistan nor a paper trail that blames the health ministry for insufficient quantities of meat available to consumers. End Comment. JACOBSON