TURKMENISTAN: NEXT STEPS IN U.S.-TURKISH DIALOGUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000497

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, DRL
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAID KDEM TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: NEXT STEPS IN U.S.-TURKISH DIALOGUE

REF: A. SECSTATE 07210


B. ASHGABAT 0161

C. ASHGABAT 0330


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Following working-level meetings with
counterparts at the Turkish International Development Agency (TIKA),
USAID requested meetings on April 16-17 with two Deputy Ministers of
Health and Medical Industry to identify possible joint USAID-TIKA
cooperation activities in Turkmenistan. In positive and productive
meetings with two deputy ministers, avian influenza and maternal and
child health were identified as areas of potential cooperation. As
a next step, Deputy Minister Orazov said he would submit a request
to TIKA for avian influenza laboratory training in Turkey for
Ministry of Health and Medical Industry (MOHMI) staff. Following a
separate meeting with Deputy Minister Kurban Elyasov on April 17,
TIKA and USAID partner ZdravPlus agreed to meet with the Maternal
and Child Health (MCH) Institute to determine specific parameters
for joint activities. END SUMMARY.

MINISTRY RECEPTIVE TO PREMISE OF JOINT USAID-TIKA PROGRAMS


3. (SBU) As agreed in an April 3 working meeting between USAID and
Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TIKA) staff in
Turkmenistan, USAID submitted a letter to the MOHMI proposing joint
a meeting between USAID's deputy ministerial counterparts, USAID and
TIKA to discuss potential cooperation with the MOHMI. The Ministry
was receptive and initially agreed to a meeting on April 15. Due to
conflicts in scheduling both deputy ministers at the same time,
however, separate meetings were arranged on April 16 and 17.

PREVENTING AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI)


4. (U) On April 16, Deputy Minister for Sanitary and
Epidemiological Service (SES) Orazov indicated that the idea for
establishing a laboratory to monitor avian influenza was his.
Although WHO experts had advised that one national laboratory was
preferable, Orazov still believed that a lab in Turkmenbashy was
very much needed, especially due to the planned development of the
Caspian coast via the Avaza tourist project. In the meantime,
support with publishing informational materials on avian influenza
for the general population was very much needed. Schools and
schoolchildren were potential target recipients of a needed
informational campaign.


5. (U) TIKA offered to organize a one-month training program in
Turkey for veterinarians and/or laboratory specialists. Three to
four participants would be sent to Turkey for training and viewing
Turkey's laboratory set-up. After that, TIKA was prepared to send
specialist(s) to Turkmenistan to assess the laboratory's equipment
needs, which TIKA would consider funding. Pleased with the
potential new resources, Deputy Minster Orazov stated that the
Ministry would submit a written request for this support to TIKA.

MALARIA COOPERATION IN AFGHANISTAN BORDER ZONES?


6. (U) Before closing, Orazov inquired about potential USG
financial support for malaria programs. Although Turkmenistan is
striving to be declared a malaria free country, Orazov has remained
a vocal proponent of continuing Turkmenistan's fight against
malaria. He saw a risk in people traveling from Turkmenistan's
northeastern province of Lebap into Afghanistan, where they become
infected with malaria and bring it back when they return to
Turkmenistan. Orazov asked for USG resources to help construct a
100 km malaria free zone along Turkmenistan's border with
Afghanistan. (NOTE: On April 18 at the Country Coordination
Mechanism for malaria, this request was repeated. The MOHMI also
asked for USAID's assistance in organizing a malaria prevention
meeting with health officials from Afghanistan. END NOTE.)

SUPPORTING FAMILY MEDICINE TRAINING


ASHGABAT 00000497 002 OF 002



7. (U) On April 17, representatives from USAID, USAID's
principal health reform program, ZdravPlus, and TIKA met with Deputy
Minister Kurban Elyasov. Elyasov praised USAID's ongoing
cooperation with the MOHMI and said that his biggest challenge was
training staff. In response to a question about possible equipment
needs for MCH programs, Elyasov said that incubators for the Central
Hospital or MCH Institute, as well as high-quality microscopes,
would be welcomed. TIKA inquired about the specifications and was
advised that they could be obtained from local representatives of
international firms.


8. (U) Noting that it had previously sent doctors to Turkey for
training, TIKA also offered to organize one- or two-month training
programs in Turkey for MCH and/or laboratory specialists. MOHMI
Department Head Beglich Ovezglychov said that equipment for MCH
Institute, training in Turkey, laboratory training and microscopes
were all priorities. TIKA agreed to consult with Ankara on the
range of possibilities, but considered a training program to be the
probable first step. With the Deputy Minister's permission -- USAID
Country Representative proposed a meeting between ZdravPlus, TIKA
and the MCH Institute's director in Ashgabat to further discuss how
such cooperation might work. Deputy Minister Elyasov gave his full
blessing to the proposed approach and asked that the parties proceed
accordingly, while reporting to Mr. Ovezglychov. The parties agreed
that the initial meeting with MCH Institute would take place during
the week of April 21.


9. (SBU) COMMENT: Both deputy ministers began by sharing their
appreciation for the Ministry's long-standing constructive
relationship with USAID. Based on this, they welcomed the proposals
for joint activities involving TIKA. As the next step, post awaits
a request for joint activities from MOHMI to TIKA on avian influenza
laboratory training in Turkey. USAID and TIKA will prepare a joint
proposal on MCH activities after it meets with the MCH Institute
director next week.


10. (U) COMMENT CONTINUED: At this point, the MCH activities under
consideration are closer to the joint activities originally
envisioned in Reftel A. That said, even if the avian influenza lab
trainings take place as a stand-alone effort, USAID's introduction
of TIKA to MOHMI has achieved a related goal of widening TIKA's
involvement in donor efforts and will have attracted additional
resources for Turkmenistan's health sector. Additional
opportunities for USAID cooperation with TIKA in the agricultural
sector will be pursued in upcoming meetings planned with USAID, TIKA
and USAID's partner, Winrock International. END COMMENT.

HOAGLAND