KAZAKHSTAN: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON REMOVING H1N1-RELATED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000811

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR ETRD ECON SENV KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON REMOVING H1N1-RELATED
TRADE BANS ON PORK

REF: STATE 44254

ASTANA 00000811 001.2 OF 002



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


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Akhmetzhan Sultanov, Vice Chairman of the
Ministry of Agriculture's State Inspection Committee told us on May
6 that, in response to the H1N1 virus, the Government of Kazakhstan
took preemptive steps to prevent the possible importation of
infected food by banning pork and meat imports from several
countries and several U.S. states. The Regional Environmental
Officer (REO) delivered reftel demarche informing Sultanov that, in
fact, there is no H1N1 risk from the consumption of fully cooked
pork and urged Kazakhstan to end its import bans. Sultanov said he
was aware that the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has
issued a "preliminary statement" that there is no evidence that the
virus is transmitted by food, but the government is waiting to
receive OIE's official statement before taking any action regarding
lifting the ban. There currently are no cases of H1N1 in
Kazakhstan. END SUMMARY.

DEMARCHE TO REMOVE BAN ON IMPORT OF PORK FROM UNITED STATES


3. (SBU) Akhmetzhan Sultanov, Vice Chairman of the Ministry of
Agriculture's State Inspection Committee told the Regional
Environmental Officer (REO) on May 6 that each country can obtain
information on the status of its imports to Kazakhstan on the
Ministry's website. Sultanov said that in response to the H1N1
virus, the Kazakhstani government took preemptive steps to prevent
the possible import of "infected food," by banning pork and meat
imports from Mexico, several countries in the Caribbean Basin, as
well as several U.S. states, including Texas, California, and
Kansas. These measures were issued in a decree on April 27 (see
full text in para 7). Sultanov said it was a "precautionary
measure" to ban imports not only of pork, but of all meat and
poultry from Texas, California, and Kansas, since these three states
have the highest instances of registered cases of H1N1 infection in
humans in the United States. REO delivered reftel demarche and left
a non-paper with Sultanov informing the Kazakhstanis that the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) issued statements on April 27
and 28 indicating that there is no risk from the consumption of
fully cooked pork. REO urged the government of Kazakhstan to
reconsider its decision and end import bans. (NOTE: In 2008, U.S.
exports of pork to Kazakhstan reached 372 tons valued at $982,000.
U.S. poultry exports of 18,000 tons were valued at nearly $20
million. END NOTE.)


4. (SBU) In addition, REO presented Sultanov with "Key Facts About
Swine Influenza" from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention clearly stating that H1N1 is not transmitted by food.
REO also delivered the May 2 joint statement by the U.N. Food and
Agriculture Organization, the OIE, the WHO, and the WTO, stating
that "pork and pork products, handled in accordance with good
hygienic practices...will not be a source of infection. To date,
there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by food."


5. (SBU) Sultanov said he was aware of the "preliminary statement"
by OIE that there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by
food. He said the government is reviewing its policy but is waiting
to receive the OIE's official statement to that effect before it
will consider taking any official action regarding lifting the
existing ban. Currently, Kazakhstan's policy is very similar to
those of Russia and Belarus, Sultanov said, and he expected that
there would be close consultation with those countries on further
action. (NOTE: Kazakhstan is in the process of negotiating a
trilateral customs union with Russia and Belarus. END NOTE.) Post

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will continue to monitor the situation and inform Washington if
Kazakhstan lifts the import bans.

NO H1N1 CASES IN KAZAKHSTAN


6. (SBU) Sultanov said Kazakhstan currently has no cases of H1N1
infection. An inter-agency committee, consisting of the Ministries
of Agriculture, Health, Emergency Situations, Internal Affairs, and
others, has been tasked to work out a plan of action in the event of
an outbreak of H1N1 virus. It will present its plan to President
Nazarbayev soon. This plan will include procedures for isolation
and quarantine, prevention, and medical unit response, among other
measures. The overall goal is to reduce the threat of an outbreak
and its spread among the population from those who might come into
contact with the H1N1 virus.

DECREE ON IMPORT BANS


7. (U) Following is the unofficial translation of the text of the
import ban decree:

BEGIN TEXT

To: Heads of territorial inspections of oblasts, Astana, Almaty
To: Heads of regional inspections of veterinary control on borders
and transport

Decree No. 18-2-1-9/3038, dated April 27, 2009 On Swine Flu
Prevention

Due to swine flu H1N1 outbreak on the territory of Mexico and the
USA and with the purpose to prevent such disease spread on the
territory of Republic of Kazakhstan:


A. The following restrictions are introduced:
-- On the entrance to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan
and transit through its territory of meat, raw meat materials, and
its processed products without thermal treatment and obtained from
any animals, shipped after April 28, 2009 from Mexico and the U.S.
states of Texas, California, and Kansas.
-- On the entrance to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan of
meat and meat products, obtained from any animals, including
products with thermal treatment, in the hand-luggage and on-board
food of seacraft and aircraft coming from Mexico and the U.S. states
of Texas, California, and Kansas.
-- On the entrance of pork and its processed products with thermal
treatment and shipped after April 28, 2009 from Guatemala, Honduras,
Dominique Republic, Colombia, Costa-Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama,
Salvador, as well as the U.S. states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas,
Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Florida.


B. The present Decree is subject to foreign trade members and all
structures of Committee notification.


C. Vice Chairman of the Committee for State Inspection in
Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. A.A. Sultanov is
in charge of enforcing this Decree.

Chairman S. Suleimenov

END TEXT

MILAS