AZERBAIJAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: GOAJ,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000257

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016
TAGS: EAGR EAID PGOV KFLU ASEC CASC AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: GOAJ,
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BEGINNING TO RESPOND

REF: BAKU 235

Classified By: DCM Jason P. Hyland per 1.4 (b,d).


1. (SBU) International pressure on the GOAJ to take avian
influenza seriously appears to have prompted the GOAJ to take
action. Following Ambassador and UN Resident Coordinator,s
February 14 approach to Prime Minister Rasizade (reftel) and
European Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner,s February 16 pitch on
avian influenza (septel),Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
on February 16 issued a decree decree establishing a "State
Commission for Preventing Avian Influenza." The decree
orders all state agencies to work together on the issue. It
is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov and
includes the Ministers of Agriculture, Economic Development,
Finance, Ecology and Natural Resources, Emergency Situations,
Health, Internal Affairs, as well as the Chairman for the
State Customs Committee, the Head of the State Border
Service. According to the decree, the role of the commission
is:


A. By February 18, 2006, prepare and approve an
emergency action plan on preventive measures against Avian
Influenza (AI).

B. Ensure the daily provision of information on AI
to the mass media.

C. Present to the Cabinet of Minister a proposal on
financing the preventive measures against AI, using funds
from the state budget and international institutions.

D. Constantly inform the President of Azerbaijan on
the implemented activities.

E. Implement other corresponding activities.


2. (SBU) The Minister of Agriculture is also calling
together the diplomatic corps on February 20 for a briefing
on AI. We will report out after that meeting, including
targeted requests to Washington for further assistance.


3. (SBU) Post remains actively engaged on AI. The week of
February 13 seemed to see some positive developments in the
international donor coordination. UNICEF has been taking the
lead coordination role and is slowly bringing the WHO with
it. At a February 16 donor coordination meeting, donors
reviewed the findings of WHO,s February assessment and
agreed that US would take lead on technical training and
Japan would take the lead on laboratory assistance. The new,
non-Azerbaijani director of the Baku office of the World
Health Organization seems to be much more engaged and honest
about the WHO's capabilities. EU countries seem to just
beginning to be engaged on the issue, and post suspects that
in the next month there will more involvement from these
countries.


4. (C) The biggest issues remain surveillance and testing.
Azerbaijani, to date, is not able to fully perform these
functions and has sent samples out for testing at an
international reference lab only after repeated interventions
from the U.S. Embassy. For some time, it appeared the GOAJ's
inability was as much the result of a lack of will as a lack
of knowledge. However, recent meetings with the Prime
Minister, and the promulgation of a presidential decree --
even if it simply ratifies the GOAJ's existing structure for
dealing with AI -- appear to have solidified some will within
the GOAJ. Post is optimistic that the new acting country
director of the WHO will be more forthcoming on the
limitations of the WHO, and more proactive and efficacious in
assisting the GOAJ. The UN community (namely UNICEF),in
cooperation with the Azerbaijani government, is completing a
television public service announcement, though the content of
the announcement was still somewhat unclear at the February
16 donors meeting. Most immediately, the donors committee is
in the final stages of being able to provide additional
personal protective equipment.


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5. (U) During the week of 13 February, post was successful i
getting a 30-second public service announcementabout AI into
three of the six local television stations. This
thirty-second PSA was produced by USAID in Kiev, and post
substituted a voice over in the Azerbaijani language. The
PSAs have been running often on television and radio.


6. (C) COMMENT: With the establishment of the State
Committee on Avian Influenza, and the personnel changes at
the Baku office of the WHO, post is guardedly optimistic that
the tide may be turning on the AI issue in Azerbaijani, from
the standpoint of the government's understanding of and
engagement on the issue. That said, the State Committee does
not have the technical know-how or experience to implement a
robust surveillance and testing program. Additionally, most
of the individuals on the committee whom post has dealt with
on AI in the past have been unhelpful at best and
intransigent/obstructionist at worst. Hopefully, President
Aliyev,s engagement on this issue will change things.


7. (C) COMMENT, CONTINUED: Post is encouraged by the active
role UNICEF is playing in organizing the international
donors. While it does not have any technical expertise, the
UNICEF director is a good organizer and planner. That it has
fallen to the UNICEF director to coordinate the UN response
speaks as much to the impotency of the local WHO office, and
disengagement of other UN representatives in Azerbaijan, such
as UNDP, on this issue. Amidst what may be termed an
impending crisis, FAO has no personnel on the ground working
with the veterinary service or Ministry of Agriculture. The
UK and German embassies have both expressed private concerns
to emboffs about the UN's disjointed response. Given this
vacuum, other international donors have been forced to assume
a larger role. In addition to the valuable work of UNICEF,
Post has appreciated the flexibility and involvement of the
Japanese Embassy which is in discussions with Tokyo about
sending a health expert/consultant to Baku permanently, to
work on all health issues arising from AI. The Japanese
government also is finalizing the details on sending two
Azerbaijanis to Japan for technical training. More than a
month after large bird deaths were first reported in
Azerbaijan, the GOAJ appears to be coming around. The UN,
after a dismal start and much prodding by the Embassy and
international community, may be doing the same.
HARNISH