Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI817
2007-04-13 12:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

GOG LOOKS TO IMPROVE AI COOPERATION WITH ABKHAZIA

Tags:  PREL TBIO GG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSI #0817/01 1031259
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131259Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6060
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000817 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL TBIO GG
SUBJECT: GOG LOOKS TO IMPROVE AI COOPERATION WITH ABKHAZIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000817

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL TBIO GG
SUBJECT: GOG LOOKS TO IMPROVE AI COOPERATION WITH ABKHAZIA


1. Summary: On March 23, Russian and Georgian press reports
claimed an Avian Influenza (AI) outbreak had occurred in
Abkhazia. On March 28, Deputy Minister of Health Levan
Jugeli told Poloff that the GoG was ready at any time to work
with the Abkhaz de-facto officials on AI or other health
issues, although he added that cooperation had decreased
somewhat recently. He said that the GoG is ready to send 500
USAID-provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) suits to
Abkhazia, and is also willing to establish a satellite lab in
Abkhazia and send lab specialists to help collect specimen
samples for diagnosis. He said he would ask State Minister
for Conflict Resolution, Merab Antadze, to raise the Georgian
offer of cooperation between their health and veterinary
departments with the Abkhaz. He also said that the GoG has
purchased 100,000 units of Tamiflu, new ventilators for
hospitals, and is updating its AI action plan. On April 4,
Poloff met with Abkhaz de-facto minister of health Zurab
Marshanya to raise the issue of cooperation between Georgia
and Abkhazia on AI and to verify whether there was an
outbreak of AI in birds in Abkhazia. Marshanya said that the
Abkhaz have a governmental commission responsible for
investigating all suspected cases of AI and their
investigation found no evidence of AI. United Nations
Observer Mission to Georgia (UNOMIG) doctors said they agreed
with the results of the investigation, although they noted
that it was not in their mandate to investigate possible AI
cases. Marshanya said he would take into consideration the
Georgian proposals for assistance and cooperation on
AI-related issues. End Summary.

GoG upgrading preparedness plan, seeks cooperation with Abkhaz
-------------- --------------


2. On March 28, DM Jugeli told Poloff that the GoG was ready
to cooperate with the Abkhaz de-facto health officials to
help them prepare for potential outbreaks of AI. Jugeli said
that they have 500 USAID-provided PPEs and hundreds of AI
prevention brochures in Abkhaz and Russian that they are
ready to give the Abkhaz. He said the Ministry of Health can
also send laboratory specialists and sample collectors, and
can even establish a satellite laboratory in Abkhazia if the
Abkhaz are willing. He expressed his willingness to talk
with de-facto health and agriculture officials to discuss AI

monitoring plans as well, and said he would ask State
Minister Antadze to raise this with the Abkhaz. Currently,
he said, the GoG is updating its AI preparedness plan that
will further elaborate the responsibilities of each Ministry
and department in the event of an AI outbreak. He said the
GoG has purchased new ventilators with money from the World
Bank and has a stockpile of 100,000 treatment courses of
Tamiflu. He said they also plan to purchase stocks of
regular flu vaccine.

Abkhaz claim prevention measures in place, no truth to report
-------------- --------------


3. De-facto minister of health Marshanya told Poloff on
April 4 that the Abkhaz have a working governmental
commission, led by the de-facto deputy prime minister, that
monitors AI and enforces preventative measures. He said
Abkhazia has several rapid reaction groups that respond to
reports of bird die-offs in the region, and quickly
quarantine suspect areas. When suspect birds are found, he
said, they are sent to a lab in Krasnodar, Russia, for
testing. Following recent AI outbreaks in birds in Russia,
Abkhazia has stopped all poultry imports from Russia and
banned the hunting of wild birds, he said. Poloff delivered
several of the GoG-produced AI prevention brochures in Abkhaz
and Russian to Marshanya, and outlined the steps the GoG was
willing to take to increase Georgian-Abkhaz cooperation on
AI. Marshanya thanked Poloff for the brochures and the
message and said he would think about it.


4. During the meeting, Marshanya also said there was no
truth to the March 23 report of an AI outbreak in birds north
of Gaudauta, calling the report "propaganda designed to keep
tourists away." (Comment: Marshanya's statement is
plausible. The report was released - only in Russian - by a
California-based medical company called Ramaz Mitaishvili
Global Health. Mitaishvili is an Abkhaz-born Georgian who
fled Sukhumi during the war, and based on his biography and
other articles on his website, has a strong anti-Abkhaz bent.
End Comment). He said that the village was investigated and
the birds tested negative for AI. He said that there have
been similar reports in the past, usually from the Gali
region of Abkhazia, and all have proven false. UNOMIG's
medical staff, in a separate meeting with Poloff, said that
while monitoring AI was not in their mandate, they
nevertheless stay in close contact with the de-facto
officials and CIS peacekeepers on this issue. They said that
there was no evidence to support the reports' claims of an AI
outbreak.


TBILISI 00000817 002 OF 002


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


5. The GoG continues to take appropriate steps toward
strengthening its AI prevention program, and remains vigilant
against future outbreaks. Cooperation with the Abkhaz
de-facto officials remains the weak link in Georgia's
preparedness and prevention programs. Despite their
assurances to the contrary, it is not clear how well the
Abkhaz could respond to an outbreak of AI in either birds or
humans. Closer coordination between the GoG and the Abkhaz
on prevention measures, information exchange and technical
assistance would go a long way toward ensuring that any
future outbreak of AI would be quickly identified and
contained. Such cooperation would also help the GoG limit
the spread of rumors and unconfirmed reports of AI in
Abkhazia. We will continue to encourage both sides to work
together.


TEFFT