VZCZCXRO3456
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0213/01 0521136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211136Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7010
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2507
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1599
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1256
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1142
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0319
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-2/REA/NMJIC-J2//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J5/RUE//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/HSE/CCJ5//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) 
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR JAMES HIGGISTON 
ASTANA FOR ESTH (PUTNAM) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX
SUBJECT: GOTX PUBLISHES AI ARTICLE 
 
REFTEL:  A) ASHGABAT 141 
               B)  ASHGABAT 173 and previous 
        C) 05 STATE 153802 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution 
 
Summary 
-------------- 
 
¶1.   (U) THE GOTX INCREASED EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL 
AI PLAN DURING A FEBRUARY 14-16 WHO-SPONSORED WORKSHOP. 
THE GOTX ALSO TOOK THE UNPRECEDENTED STEP OF PUBLISHING A 
FRONT-PAGE ARTICLE AND AIRING A RADIO NEWS STORY ON AI. 
THE ARTICLE FOCUSED ON THE GOTX'S SELF-PROCLAIMED 
PROACTIVE MEASURES AND WAS NOT PART OF A PUBLIC AWARENESS 
CAMPAIGN. END SUMMARY. 
 
WHO WORKSHOP 
------------ 
 
¶2.   (U) ON FEBRUARY 14-16 THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND 
MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) CONDUCTED A WHO-SPONSORED 
WORKSHOP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA FOR SPECIALISTS FROM 
DIFFERENT MINISTRIES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ENGAGED IN 
DEVELOPING AN AI QUARANTINE PROGRAM.  THE WORKSHOP WAS 
DESIGNED TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR AI 
SURVEILLANCE AND PANDEMIC READINESS.  ONE HUNDRED AND 
FIFTY SPECIALISTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ATTENDED.  WHO 
REGIONAL ADVISORS BERNARDUS GANTER AND CAROLINE BROWN 
CONDUCTED LECTURES ON AI: CHARACTERISTICS, HISTORY OF 
EPIDEMIC OUTBREAKS, VACCINES AND ANTIVIRAL DRUGS, 
LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE AND 
PANDEMIC RESPONSE ACTIONS.  THE PRACTICAL PART OF THE 
WORKSHOP INCLUDED A CASE-STUDY EXERCISE (BASED ON THE AI 
CASE IN TURKEY) TO TRAIN PARTICIPANTS FOR EMERGENCY 
ACTION PLANNING IN CASE OF AN OUTBREAK.  PARTICIPANTS 
RECEIVED WORKSHOP MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE 
MOHMI TO ORGANIZE TRAINING FOR THEIR PROVINCIAL STAFFS. 
 
WHO RECOMMENDS UPGRADING VIROLOGICAL LABORATORIES 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3.   (SBU) ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL WHO REPRESENTATIVE, ON 
FEBRUARY 15 GANTER INSPECTED THE MOHMI'S SANITARY AND 
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SERVICE LABORATORY AND THE STATE 
LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION'S STATE VETERINARY SERVICE 
LABORATORY.  GANTER RECOMMENDED SOME UPGRADES. 
 
"TURKMENISTAN IS READY TO COMBAT AVIAN FLU" 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.   (U) ON FEBRUARY 16 THE GOVERNMENT PRESS REPORTED ON 
THE WORKSHOP, HIGHLIGHTING THE THREAT PRESENTED BY AI, 
THE ROLE OF WHO AND THE GOTX'S EFFORTS. THE LENGTHY 
REPORT PRAISED PRESIDENT NIYAZOV'S HEALTH REFORM, WHICH 
"SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASES THE RISK OF HAVING AI," AND 
QUOTED/MISQUOTED BROWN SAYING, "TURKMENISTAN, DIFFERENT 
FROM SOME OTHER COUNTRIES, HAS A FIRST-CLASS SCIENTIFIC 
LABORATORY BASE AND HAS DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM 
OF REQUIRED MEASURES." 
 
POULTRY BAN CONTINUES 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.   (SBU) TURKMENISTAN CONTINUES IMPORT BANS ON POULTRY 
PRODUCTS FROM TURKEY, IRAN, UKRAINE, RUSSIA, AND CHINA. 
AS OF FEBRUARY 14, ASHGABAT FOOD MARKETS WERE OFFERING 
U.S. CHICKEN QUARTERS AND WHOLE CHICKENS FROM BRAZIL, 
FRANCE AND THE LOCAL POULTRY FARM "HILAL."  HOWEVER, FOOD 
MARKETS IN THE EASTERN REGIONAL TOWN OF TURKMENABAT WERE 
NOT SELLING ANY POULTRY MEAT AS OF FEBRUARY 10.   LOCAL 
VENDORS THERE TOLD VISITING POL/ECON OFFICER THAT SINCE 
MID-JANUARY LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAD IMPOSED A COMPLETE BAN 
ON POULTRY MEAT.  IN CONTRAST, CHICKEN DISHES ARE 
AVAILABLE IN TURKMENABAT'S RESTAURANTS.  (NOTE: THE 
CHICKEN BAN COINCIDES WITH THE MASS DEATHS OF CHICKENS IN 
 
ASHGABAT 00000213  002 OF 002 
 
 
LEBAP WELAYAT (PROVINCE), REPORTEDLY FROM NEWCASTLE 
DISEASE (REF A).  END NOTE.) 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.   (SBU) THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE GOTX HAS PUBLISHED 
A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT A POTENTIAL NATIONAL HEALTH 
HAZARD.  ALTHOUGH THE CONTENT OUTRIGHT FALSIFIES WHO 
OFFICIALS' WORDS AND FOCUSES ON PRAISING THE GOTX'S SELF- 
DESCRIBED ACCOMPLISHMENTS, IT AT LEAST IS A STEP TOWARDS 
RECOGNITION OF THE POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM. 
THE GOTX CONTINUES TO TAKE SMALL AND INADEQUATE 
PREPARATIONS TO CONTAIN AI; TRANSPARENT AND ACCURATE 
GOVERNMENT REPORTING IS STILL NOT A REALITY, NOR LIKELY 
TO BECOME ONE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
JACOBSON