KAZAKHSTAN: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE'S RESPONSE TO H1N1

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001208 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB, OES/PCI (PHUDAK, NFITE) USDA FAS FOR OSTA/HAMILTON AND OCRA/MSMITH ANKARA FOR AG ATTACHE RGIFFORD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON SENV KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE'S RESPONSE TO H1N1 DEMARCHE REF: (A) STATE 44254 (B) ASTANA 0811 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) The Regional Environmental Officer (REO) on May 6 delivered ref A demarche urging Kazakhstan to lift its H1N1-related bans on the importation of pork and other meats. Ref B reports the government's initial reaction to the demarche. ¶3. (SBU) As further follow-up, Serik Suleymenov, Chairman of the Ministry of Agriculture's State Inspection Committee, sent the Embassy a diplomatic note dated June 4, which we received on July ¶20. An informal translation of the text is reproduced below. ¶4. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT The Committee for State Inspection in Agricultural Production of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter the Committee) in response to the Embassy's diplomatic note No 0369/09 dated May 27, 2009 and information enclosed with it provided by the APHIS Acting Attache at U.S. Embassy Austria, informs the Embassy that the Committee, similar to the U.S. veterinary agency, conducts regular monitoring of the epizootic situation in near and far foreign states, and continuously tracks official statements of the International Epizootics Bureau. At the same time, it is noteworthy that the Republic of Kazakhstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (the CIS),and therefore must meet all requirements and fulfill obligations under existing CIS agreements, including an agreement to ensure epizootic security of its territory. Therefore, the Republic of Kazakhstan, like other CIS states, has introduced temporary and partial restrictions on the importation of certain items from Mexico, the USA and Canada subject to national veterinary control, since A/H1N1 outbreaks have been registered there. Therefore, there are current restrictions on the importation to Kazakhstan of swine and swine products produced in Texas, California and Kansas which have not been thermally processed. Regarding thermally processed products, we would like to inform you that the restrictions imposed only apply to the transportation of these products in passengers' hand baggage and luggage, as well as in on-board meals of sea and air craft en route from Texas, California and Kansas; otherwise, thermally processed U.S.-produced items are allowed to enter Kazakhstan without any restrictions. Also, due to a poor epizootic situation around other infectious diseases, the Committee has imposed restrictions on the importation of certain U.S. items subject to state veterinary control, including banning importation of the following items: - Live bovine animals, as well as bone-in meat of bovine animals from all states due to registered outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy across the country; - Live rabbits, rabbit meat, their fur, and other products of rabbit breeding from all states due to outbreaks of rabbit hemorrhagic disease; - Live horses, horsemeat, horse hides, and internal organs, as well as other products of horse breeding from Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, California, Indiana, Georgia, and Texas due to outbreaks of horse contagious metritis registered there; - Live poultry, products of poultry breeding, fodder. and fodder supplements for poultry, and equipment used and produced to keep and slaughter poultry from Kentucky due to weak pathogenic bird flu registered there. ASTANA 00001208 002 OF 002 In conclusion I would like to emphasize that after the situation around A/H1N1 has stabilized, the Committee will consider lifting restrictions related to U.S. products in a mandatory manner. Respectfully, Chairman S. Suleymenov END TEXT HOAGLAND