ROMANIA HOLDS REGIONAL MINISTERIAL ON AVIAN FLU

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUCHAREST 000409

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE - WSILKWORTH AND CA/OCS/ACS-SSCHMIERER
NSC FOR DAMON WILSON
PASS TO DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2016
TAGS: KFLU TBIO EAID CASC WHO RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIA HOLDS REGIONAL MINISTERIAL ON AVIAN FLU

REF: A. A) BUCHAREST 00310


B. B) 05 BUCHAREST 2177

C. C) 05 BUCHAREST 2152

D. D) 05 BUCHAREST 2185

E. E) 05 BUCHAREST 2205

F. F) 05 BUCHAREST 2239

G. G) 05 BUCHAREST 2302

Classified By: DCM Mark Taplin for Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) Romanian Minister of Agriculture Flutur invited his
counterparts from Bulgaria, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine to
discuss Avian Flu in Bucharest on March 6. The group's first
event was a tour with U.S. Ambassador Taubman of the
Ministry's Laboratory that has just installed the USG-funded
real-time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) machine for testing
H5N1. A standing room only press event followed in which
Minister Flutur thanked the U.S. for the donation of
equipment and accompanying training, and emphasized the need
for regional collaboration and transparency in fighting Avian
Influenza (AI). The Ambassador likewise called for
transparency and global cooperation to fight the spread of
AI. A two-hour meeting followed at which the five ministries
were supposed to have shared their experiences to date.
However, the visiting agriculture officials showed little
sign, to put it mildly, of wanting to confront the challenge
of AI on a coordinated regional basis. End Summary.

Romania Taking Lead on Avian Flu
--------------

2. (U) Since early October, when Romania first discovered AI
in the Danube Delta, the Ministry of Agriculture has been the
front line of defense in Romania's campaign against AI.
Agriculture Minister Flutur leads the Government of Romania's
(GOR) inter-agency working group, which meets on a daily
basis. In light of Romania's success so far in confronting
AI, Ukraine and Bulgaria have sought the benefit of the GOR's
experiences. We have likewise been encouraging Romania to
demonstrate regional leadership and offer advice to its
neighbors. At Flutur's invitation, Bulgaria, Moldova, Turkey
and Ukraine sent their ministers or vice-ministers of
agriculture to Bucharest on March 6. The purpose of the
visit was to share experiences and the status of AI in each
country. Attendees included Bulgarian Minister of
Agriculture Nihat Kabil, Moldovan Deputy Minister of
Agriculture Anatolie Spivacenco, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of
Agriculture Victor Pabat, and Turkish Secretary of State in
charge of the Food Safety Authority Ramazan Kadak.

Press Event Highlights US Assistance
--------------

3. (U) The first official event was to visit the Bucharest
National Animal Health Institute Laboratory where a new
US-funded real time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) machine
had been installed. Touring the lab in white protective
clothing, the Ambassador and other high-ranking visitors
received a tour of the facility and an explanation of how the
new PCR increases the speed and accuracy of tests for H5N1.
Press interest was so high that there was standing room only
in the conference room where the Minister and Ambassador both
made brief remarks emphasizing transparency and regional
cooperation. Unfortunately, the first question from
journalists was an attack on Bulgaria's AI response, accusing
the country of a lack of transparency that could jeopardize
the health of Romanians. The Ambassador replied that the
fact that all of the neighboring countries were here to work
together was a good indication that all present were serious
about fighting AI.

Regional Reps Still in Denial
--------------

4. (C) Yet behind closed doors in the inter-ministerial
meeting, representatives from nearby countries did not seem
attuned to the long-term nature of the AI threat. For
instance, the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture claimed that
the disease had come from Romania, and that if Romania did
its job properly, then Bulgaria would not have a problem. He
asserted that his country had no reports of AI at present, so
"there is no problem in Bulgaria." Moldova said it is
worried about AI only in that the two neighbors, Romania and

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Ukraine, were struggling with AI outbreaks. The Moldovan
Deputy Minister assured the group that Moldova would continue
to monitor closely, and learn from the neighbors' experience.
Most remarkably, the Turkish head of Food Safety Authority
stated that, although Turkey had had to deal with a "few
isolated outbreaks" of AI, the Turkish government had
eliminated the disease and everything was back to normal in
Turkey. The Turkish representative made no mention
whatsoever to the Avian Flu related deaths in January.
(Note: The Turkish Ambassador to Romania recently echoed this
same attitude and message to the Ambassador, claiming that
Turkey had eliminated AI. End note.) Ukraine reported that
it had taken firm actions, especially in the Crimea, to stamp
out AI and that the situation was under control.


5. (SBU) Flutur told the group that he had also originally
thought that AI was going to be something that prompt, firm
actions would eliminate and that life would go on as normal.
However, he explained that he was now convinced that AI was
the "new reality" and that we must adopt better barnyard
practices in poor rural households and higher bio-safety
standards for the poultry industry.


6. (C) A group from the European Commission delegation in
Bucharest, including its head, arrived late at the meeting
and offered a few remarks. Flutur thanked it for attending,
and then pointedly thanked the US again for the donation
highlighted earlier in the morning. He said he appreciated
the international support over the past six months as Romania
has fought the spread of the disease. He stated that the
technical experts were very helpful, but emphasized that the
additional new equipment was helping his ministry immensely
in the battle. The suggestion was not lost on the audience
that at this juncture, equipment and training was more highly
valued than advice.

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

7. (C) Romania's Minister of Agriculture made a sincere
attempt to organize a regional discussion. However, it was
obvious that the party line from the neighboring countries is
"everything is under control" and "the problem is behind us."
This attitude of denial and lack of transparency, some of
our contacts here worry, contributes to a false public
impression that Romania is failing in its battle against AI
while its neighbors are successfully stamping it out.
Flutur expressed to Emboffs last week his concern over public
criticism that Romania is doing poorly compared to neighbors.
He acknowledged that transparency was essential but that the
neighbors were not making it easy for him to do the right
thing. Instead, the visiting agriculture officials put
emphasis on their worries for their local poultry industries
and their hope that the public would not panic and stop
buying poultry. Bulgaria and Moldovan officials cast the
problem as largely Romania's. Less clear was their
willingness to encourage more vigilant surveillance and
transparency, promote more public awareness, and to generally
grapple with the serious challenges of AI in an honest and
responsible way. End Comment.
TAUBMAN