Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NICOSIA74
2006-01-23 14:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:  

CYPRUS: UPDATE ON AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS

Tags:  EAGR EAID KSCA TBIO KSTH WHO AMED PREL CY 
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FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5418
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RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4508
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1108
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0394
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RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 2025
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0144
UNCLAS NICOSIA 000074 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID KSCA TBIO KSTH WHO AMED PREL CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS: UPDATE ON AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS

REFS: (A) NICOSIA 50 (B) NICOSIA 34 (C) 05 NICOSIA 1914

(D) 05 NICOSIA 1866 (E) 05 NICOSIA 1836 (F) 05 NICOSIA
1740 (G) 05 NICOSIA 1676 (H) 05 NICOSIA 1591 (I) 05
NICOSIA 1488

UNCLAS NICOSIA 000074

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID KSCA TBIO KSTH WHO AMED PREL CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS: UPDATE ON AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS

REFS: (A) NICOSIA 50 (B) NICOSIA 34 (C) 05 NICOSIA 1914

(D) 05 NICOSIA 1866 (E) 05 NICOSIA 1836 (F) 05 NICOSIA
1740 (G) 05 NICOSIA 1676 (H) 05 NICOSIA 1591 (I) 05
NICOSIA 1488


1. (U) Summary: Because Cyprus is only 45 miles from the
Turkish shore and on the flight path for thousands of
migratory birds, Cypriot officials continue to believe
that it is only a matter of time before Avian Influenza
is found on the island. The outbreak in Turkey has
redoubled efforts (and fears),prompting both the GoC and
Turkish Cypriot authorities to introduce new measures.
In the past two weeks, the Turkish Cypriot authorities
have cancelled the hunting season, prohibited the use of
areas around ponds for recreational use, and are actively
destroying all poultry not kept in pens or under cover.
The Greek Cypriots have banned duck hunting (but not
hunting of other birds) and have begun checking every
vehicle coming from the area administered by Turkish
Cypriots, leading to long lines at the checkpoints -- a
move many see as politically motivated. Several contacts
have suggested that the GoC is likely to close the
checkpoints if an AI outbreak occurs in the north.


2. (SBU) Coordination between the GoC and the Turkish
Cypriot authorities remains limited, although the USAID-
financed, UNDP-administered ACT program continues to host
regular unofficial meetings of the respective veterinary
services. In an effort to spur similar cooperation
between the health services, ACT has invited experts from
both sides to attend a briefing February 1 to be
conducted by a leading WHO AI official. The European
Commission is sending two AI veterinarian specialists to
provide assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community the
week of February 13. End summary.


3. (SBU) There have been no confirmed cases of avian
influenza in birds or humans on the island. Given the
recent outbreak in neighboring Turkey and Cyprus's
position on the pathway of two major bird migratory

patterns, Cypriot officials continue to believe that an
outbreak is only a question of time. Recent press
reports that a Pakistani girl had contracted AI in the
Turkish Cypriot community turned out to be false (reftel
A). On January 22, the Greek Cypriot press reported that
several hundred chickens had died in the north on a
single farm, suggesting this could be linked to bird flu.
Tests, however, came back negative and it appears that
the birds were infant chicks that had been left out in a
rainstorm by an inexperienced farmer. While the vet
services on both sides continue to monitor farms and
lakes and examine dead birds for AI, no cases of AI have
been identified.

Increased Measures by the Turkish Cypriot Community
-------------- --------------

4. (U) On January 18, the Turkish Cypriot veterinary
service briefed the diplomatic community on additional
steps that it had implemented in the north since the
death of the first AI victim in Turkey. (See reftels for
previous measures). In the past two weeks, the Turkish
Cypriots leadership has:

-- cancelled the hunting season for small birds that was
scheduled to begin January 15;

-- ordered all poultry, as well as all water and feed for
poultry, to be placed in enclosed areas to prevent
interaction with migratory birds. Earlier this week, the
veterinary service began destroying any poultry found
outside, without any compensation to the owner. (Bird
owners who comply with the ruling and have poultry that
must be culled due to an outbreak will be compensated.)
According to the "Chief Veterinarian Officer," officials
had already confiscated and killed several hundred
otherwise healthy birds.

-- prohibited the use of all ponds for recreational use
(because of the presence of migratory birds). Fishing in
or picknicking near ponds is banned.
-- reinvigorated their
public outreach campaign with
training held for farmers and medical staff as well as
pamphlets distributed to schools and newspapers on how to
avoid contracting the disease. A 24-hour hotline was set
up to facilitate reports of dead birds or of poultry
found outside of pens.

-- placed health inspectors at all ports. Anyone
suspected of being ill is sent immediately to a hospital.

-- renewed the ban, begun this fall, on all imports from
all countries of raw poultry, live birds and bird
products (including feathers). Only poultry that has
been heat-treated at a minimum of 70 degrees Celsius will
be allowed to enter north Cyprus. (note: the Turkish
Cypriot community does not import any poultry or poultry
products from the U.S. The press has reported Turkish
Cypriot poultry farmers claiming a drop in sales of
between 75 to 90 percent.)

-- identified areas where culled birds could be buried
according to EU regulations. Turkish Cypriot authorities
have already acquired protective gear, disinfectants, CO2
chambers, and a mobile incinerator for this purpose.
(The incinerator was provided by the USAID funded ACT
program).

-- passed a list of additional materials needed to ACT
for possible procurement. ACT will review the list and
provide additional equipment and supplies as appropriate.


5. (SBU) A Turkish Cypriot veterinary official reported
that his office had completed and was implementing an AI
contingency plan that consciously mirrored the plan
prepared by the RoC veterinary service. (Note: The RoC
veterinary service had informally shared its plan with
the Turkish Cypriots in late 2005. In November, together
with officials from the UK and DG Enlargement, post
passed an additional copy of the RoC text to Turkish
Cypriot "PM" Soyer and urged him to prepare and implement
a compatible plan to facilitate intra-island cooperation.
End note.)


6. (U) Turkish Cypriot veterinary officers noted that
they were regularly conducting Elisa testing on dead
birds, although the tests could not identify the subtype
of AI. Any positive results were sent to the Turkish
national laboratories in Izmir or Istanbul for further
analysis. Birds that tested negative were discarded.
The "Under Secretary" of the "Ministry" of Health added
that an Avian Influenza Coordination and Monitoring
Committee chaired by the "Minister of Health" had been
established late fall and was meeting at least twice a
month.

Additional RoC Measures
--------------

7. (U) The GoC has also taken some additional steps to
address the AI threat (for previous GoC actions, please
see reftels). Duck hunting has been banned and customs
and police have increased inspections at the checkpoints
leading from the Turkish Cypriot community. Previously
the authorities checked only one out of every 10 to 20
vehicles crossing the Green Line into the south; now
every vehicle and every individual is being checked,
leading to long lines and delays at the checkpoint. IDs
are being checked twice, and for the first time,
information on Greek Cypriots crossing over is being
recorded. While it used to take up to 30 minutes to
cross south through the Ayios Demetios checkpoint in
Nicosia at rush hour, drivers are now reporting waits up
to two to three hours. The GoC has also established new
checkpoints outside of Pyla and Strovilia in order to
inspect people/vehicles transiting the Green Line through
the UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBA). Previously,
inspections by the UK base authorities were deemed
sufficient. In addition, the GoC has announced plans to
introduce carpets treated with disinfectant, through
which all cars/people will be required to drive/walk.


8. (U) Responding to complaints that the new measures
appear to be disrupting relations between the two
communities and are aimed to discourage Greek Cypriots
from visiting the north, the GoC has argued that it is
merely enforcing the EU's Green Line Regulation. This
regulation requires the GoC to "carry out checks on all
persons crossing the line... to detect and prevent any
threat to public security..." It also requires that "All
persons shall undergo at least one check to establish
their identity," something that was not being fully
enforced up until now.

Concern GoC Could Close Checkpoint
--------------

9. (SBU) There is also growing concern that the GoC
could close the checkpoints should avian influenza be
found in the north. Last week President of the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry Manthos Mavrommatis warned us
that pressure for closing the checkpoints in case of an
AI outbreak was growing. On January 17, AKEL Euro MEP
Adamos Admaou specifically advocated this and called on
Greek Cypriots to immediately limit their movements to
the Turkish Cypriot community because of AI health
concerns. President Papadopoulos denied to the press
that the GoC has any plan to close the checkpoints, but
noted that this could not be ruled out. Meanwhile, the
Turkish Cypriots have no intent to close the checkpoint
(and put out of work the 5,000 plus Turkish Cypriots who
work in the south) should an outbreak occur in the
government-controlled area. (COMMENT: Less charitable
observers suspect hard-line elements within the GOC are
looking for an excuse to shut the checkpoints as a way of
pressuring the Turkish Cypriot community. One wryly
noted to us the birds would not bother stopping at the
Green Line if the checkpoints were closed. Many Turkish
Cypriots cross south regularly for work, school, shopping
and medical treatment. END COMMENT.)

Concern About Lack of Cooperation Between Communities
-------------- --------------

10. (SBU) The relative absence of cooperation between the
GoC and the Turkish Cypriot community remains a serious
concern. While the USAID-funded, UNDP-administered ACT
program is regularly hosting informal meetings between
the two respective veterinary services, these meetings
have been restricted to technical-level contacts.
Health officials from both sides have yet to meet. We
also remain concerned about the lack of coordination
between the veterinary and health authorities, especially
in the Turkish Cypriot north. To try to overcome this,
ACT has invited a WHO official to brief health and
veterinary experts from both sides (as well as from the
UK SBA) on February 1. The European Commission will also
be sending veterinary, and possibly health, experts to
visit the island (with special emphasis on the Turkish
Cypriot community) the week of February 13.

Large Drop in Demand for Poultry
--------------

11. (U) Turkish Cypriot poultry farmers have reported a
drop in poultry sales of between 75 to 90 percent in the
north, according to the press. Sales of poultry in the
south dropped 50 percent during the original AI panic in
October and November, but had gradually recovered after
people began to understand that eating cooked poultry was
safe. Following the deaths in Turkey, a Greek Cypriot
supermarket owner reported a slight drop of sales, around
10 percent, but nothing like the panic that had occurred
earlier. U.S. exports of poultry products to Cyprus have
historically been very limited. The U.S. exported less
than $100,000 in poultry products, mostly eggs, to the
government-controlled area of Cyprus in 2004 and does not
export any poultry products to the north.

Comment:
--------------

12. (SBU) The recent deaths in Turkey have finally
brought home to Cypriot authorities the seriousness of a
possible AI outbreak. This is especially true of the
Turkish Cypriot authorities, who had been lagging behind
in their preparations. Nevertheless, we still remain
concerned that despite the advanced planning, a major
outbreak would quickly overwhelm both sides' ability to
adequately respond. We also remain concerned that petty
political point-scoring will prevent any coordinated
response or meaningful cooperation among the GoC and the
Turkish Cypriot authorities. We will continue to
encourage full implementation of the AI contingency plans
as well as closer cooperation among experts from both
communities.

SCHLICHER