AZERBAIJAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES THAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000329

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC AND EUR/PGI, ALSO MED AND OES
DEPT PLEASE PASS AID AND USDA
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURAL COUNSELOR
ROME FOR FAO REPRESENTATIVE
GENEVA FOR HEALTH ATTACHE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2016
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON KFLU PREL PGOV CASC AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES THAT
AVIAN INFLUENZA FOUND IN DOMESTIC POULTRY, BUT STRONGLY
CRITICIZES INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

REF: BAKU 322

Classified By: AMBASSADOR RENO L. HARNISH III; REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a tense meeting with the donor community
March 1, a very agitated Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov,
head of the GOAJ avian influenza commission, confirmed for
the first time avian influenza in domestic poultry and one
commercial poultry farm. Abbasov indicated that GOAJ
laboratory testing provided the results; no samples were sent
to an international reference laboratory. He excoriated
donor plans for assistance, calling them slow, and criticized
plans for consultants rather than money for equipment. He
promised to share the GOAJ's new avian influenza action plan,
which the commission adopted at its February 28 meeting. In
a pull-aside with DCM and UNICEF Country Director, Abbasov
said he was contemplating a decision to stop completely all
imports of poultry into Azerbaijan, regardless of country of
origin. DCM said explicitly that bans on imports without
reference to international practice would not only be
ineffective, but would invite international criticism. DPM
Abbasov left it unclear what his final decision would be.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) On March 1, DPM Abbasov convoked the DCM, USAID
Country Coordinator, and representatives from Asian
Development Bank (ADB),EU's Europa House, World Bank, WHO,
and UNICEF to discuss donor support for the GOAJ's avian
influenza efforts. He characterized avian influenza as a
serious threat to Azerbaijan. Not only was H5N1 confirmed in
wild birds, H5 influenza was now confirmed in one commercial
poultry farm North of Baku, as well as in domestic poultry.
(NOTE: Abbasov did not elaborate on where domestic poultry
had tested positive, nor did he mention another poultry farm
that lost 70,000 of its 100,000 poultry over the weekend. He
said that the GOAJ's veterinary lab, which Post has
repeatedly noted as deficient, provided the only analysis; no
samples were sent to an international reference lab. END
NOTE.)

We Don't Want Your Consultants, Just Your Money
-------------- --


3. (C) Nevertheless, Abbasov said, the GOAJ was taking "all
necessary measures." Ongoing difficulties with the GOAJ
response were the result of lack of finances. Abbasov
continued by indicting the donor community for its lack of
response. The GOAJ, he said, had previously addressed
donors, but no assistance had been provided. In response,
ADB's Country Director detailed a USD 50,000 shipment of
6,000 sets of PPE equipment already en route and a USD
160,000 project to bring international consultants to DPM's
office for two months. The latter project, he said, was to
enable the GOAJ to focus on upgrading the level of its
response and coordination among donors. Abbasov snapped that
the GOAJ had no need for USD 160,000 consultants, but instead
needed equipment. He strongly dismissed ADB's offer of
consultants, then turned his ire on the World Bank's similar
offer, which he claimed would cost USD 1 million. (NOTE:
Abbasov later accused the World Bank of profiteering on the
crisis. WB noted that procurements under its projects are
handled by the GOAJ. END NOTE.)


4. (C) The DCM stressed that the avian influenza issue was a
worldwide struggle; the international community was ready to
help Azerbaijan. However, one of the most important ways to
ensure Azerbaijan received proper resources, he said, was to
institute an aggressive program of active surveillance and
testing, with verification at international reference
laboratories. DPM Abbasov conceded the importance of using
international reference labs, but complained about
difficulties reaching the Weybridge laboratory. (NOTE: Post
is following up. END NOTE.) Such an approach would make it
easier for the international community to direct resources to
areas and agencies where it was needed. More information
from the GOAJ, he said, meant more resources could be brought
to Azerbaijan. DCM also detailed USG support to Azerbaijan
to date in this crisis.


BAKU 00000329 002 OF 002


An (In)Action Plan?
--------------


5. (C) The DCM noted to DPM Abbasov that during the latter's
February 24 meeting with the Ambassador, Abbasov had stated a
new GOAJ action plan would be adopted at the February 28 AI
commission meeting (reftel). Abbasov stated that a new
action plan was adopted at the meeting, and promised to
deliver copies to the donor community on March 1. He
summarized the major themes of the action plan as the
following: allocation of USD 2.6 million in additional
funding for the Veterinary Service, USD 400,000 for the
Ministry of Health, and USD 200,000 for the Ministry of
Ecology. The action plan envisioned daily "monitoring" of
coasts and lakes where wild fowl congregate. In addition,
the action plan proposed efforts to make regional authorities
(ex-comms) more responsive, as well as more proposals on
public awareness activities.

Misdirected Efforts Restrict Trade
--------------


6. (SBU) In a pull-aside with DCM and UNICEF Country Director
following the meeting, DPM Abbasov intimated that the
commission decided February 28 to stop completely all import
of poultry products into Azerbaijan, but that he wanted to
confer with the U.S. Ambassador in the spirit of open
dialogue. This restriction would affect all countries,
regardless of whether it had cases of avian influenza. The
people of Azerbaijan, Abbasov said, were simply not willing
to buy poultry anymore. As a result, he felt it his duty to
ensure there was no AI risk to the public. The DCM responded
strongly that there was no scientific basis to restrict
imports from countries, such as the U.S., with no confirmed
avian influenza cases. The public's reluctance to buy
chicken was all the more reason to carry out a vigorous
public awareness campaign. The USG, he said, was interested
in helping Azerbaijan preserve its domestic industry as well
as our exports. Abbasov remained adamant, stating, "This
(the decision) is all done," and claiming that he could not
force people to eat chicken.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Throughout the tense meeting, Abbasov remained clearly
agitated. His behavior and approach suggested extreme
stress, perhaps bordering on panic. Furthermore, he made no
attempt to distinguish particular areas of Azerbaijan as
affected by AI, as the GOAJ has taken great pains to do in
the past. Post views his silence on this issue as a tacit
admission that avian influenza has spread throughout much of
Azerbaijan. The good news is that he is no longer in denial.
The bad news is that he is not ready to welcome
international assistance, including policy guidance, and is
still insisting that they can do the job themselves with
enough protective suits and disinfectant. The ongoing, and
in our view irrational, focus on "monitoring" wild fowl and
instituting border measures affecting imports only serves to
distract the GOAJ from the real crisis now enveloping the
country. Post intends to engage Abbasov directly to urge a
more constructive approach with the donor community. At the
same time, Post will use the opportunity of an audience with
President Aliyev for the Ambassador to restate our concern at
the highest level.
HARNISH