This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ROME 000163 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA, EUR/SE, NEA/ENA, EA/SEA, OES/IHA 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL AND 
DCARROLL; EE/MTROSTLE; EGAT A/AA JSMITH; ANE/ACLEMENTS; 
AFR/MHARVEY; EE/MTROSTLE 
USDA FOR OSEC STUMP/PENN/LAMBERT, FAS 
PETTRIE/HUGHES/CLERKIN, APHIS CLIFFORD/DUVERNOY 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
PARIS FOR GCARNER 
USEUCOM FOR ECJ4 
VIENNA PASS APHIS 
CAIRO PASS APHIS 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID CASC SENV SOCI TBIO TU UP AM AJ GG FAO WHO AVIAN INFLUENZA
SUBJECT:  AVIAN INFLUENZA: FAO UPDATE ON TURKEY AND THE 
CAUCASUS 
 
REF: (A) 05 ROME 3949; (B) 05 ROME 3320; (C) 05 ROME 2979; 
 
(D) 05 ROME 1142; (E) 05 ROME 3976; (F) 06 ROME 0087; 
(E) 06 ROME 0000 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY.  ON JANUARY 13, USMISSION UN ROME STAFF 
MET WITH JOSEPH DOMENECH, FAO CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER, AND 
MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT SITUATION IN 
TURKEY AND NEEDS THERE.  ALSO DISCUSSED WAS THE OUTLOOK FOR 
ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA.  FOR TURKEY, DOMENECH 
STATED THAT THE DISEASE IS STILL SPREADING AMONG BIRDS; 
ALTHOUGH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT STRAIN, IT APPEARS IT ARRIVED 
AT THE SAME TIME AS WHEN THE VIRUS HIT CRIMEA, UKRAINE; 
OPERATIONS ARE NOW RECEIVING HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL SUPPORT, 
WHICH WILL HELP STOP THE SPREAD TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THROUGH 
THE IMPROVEMENT OF SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING ACTIVITIES; 
AND THE COUNTRY FACES A GAP IN TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND 
VEHICLES.  TWO FAO EXPERTS WILL DEPART ON AN ASSESSMENT 
MISSION TO ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA SHORTLY, BUT FAO 
NOTES THAT ARMENIA'S LABORATORY FACILITIES ARE DEFICIENT, 
ALTHOUGH THE COUNTRY IS EMBARKING ON A VACCINATION PROGRAM 
UTILIZING RUSSIAN-MANUFACTURED VACCINES; AZERBAIJAN IS 
BETTER PLACED WITH SEROLOGICAL TESTING BUT LACKS A FACILITY 
FOR FRONTLINE DIAGNOSTICS, WHILE GEORGIA HAS A 
SOPHISTICATED FACILITY.  END SUMMARY 
 
----------------------------------- 
TURKEY 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  DOMENECH STATED THAT FAO'S OBJECTIVE IS TO 
MAINTAIN ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY (GOT) AND 
TO GATHER AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON THE OUTBREAK NOW 
THAT PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY TO IMPROVE SURVEILLANCE.  HE 
STATED THAT THE DISEASE IS STILL SPREADING AND THE BELIEF 
WAS THAT IT HAD BEEN SPREADING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, MOST 
LIKELY APPEARING IN TURKEY AT THE SAME TIME AS IN CRIMEA, 
UKRAINE, ALTHOUGH THE TWO STRAINS DIFFER SLIGHTLY.  THE 
FACT THAT THE GOT WAS UNDERREPORTING AND SLOW TO ACT 
ALLOWED THE VIRUS TO SPREAD WIDELY, ACCORDING TO DOMENECH. 
NOW THAT THERE IS HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL SUPPORT WITHIN THE 
GOT, HE IS OPTIMISTIC ON ERADICATING OR CONTROLLING 
MULTIPLE OUTBREAKS.  VACCINATION OF DOMESTICATED POULTRY IS 
BEING CONSIDERED AS A FIRST STEP.  HOWEVER, ALL THE 
OUTBREAKS IN UKRAINE, RUSSIAN ROMANIA AND NOW TURKEY LEAD 
FAO TO BELIEVE THAT THE INFESTATION COULD BE CONSIDERED A 
PLAGUE, EVEN IF THERE IS A GOOD ECONOMIC RESPONSE AND 
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO DETER IT. 
 
¶3.  (U)  DOMENECH INDICATED MANY ASSESSMENTS WERE ONGOING 
IN TURKEY PRIOR TO THE REPORTED OUTBREAK THERE, WHICH NOW 
HAS CATAPULTED THIS RESEARCH FORWARD.  FOR EXAMPLE, BOTH 
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, WHICH WAS PREPARING TO LAUNCH A 
PROJECT TO IMPROVE VETERINARY SERVICES/AVIAN INFLUENZA 
ACTIVITIES IN TURKEY IN 2007, AND THE WORLD BANK, WHICH WAS 
WORKING ON A LOAN AGREEMENT FOR SAME, ARE FAST-TRACKING 
THESE PROJECTS. (NOTE: DOMENECH SAID THAT THE EC WAS 
DECIDING ON A EURO 5 MILLION PROPOSAL THAT AFTERNOON 
[JANUARY 13].)  DOMENECH WARNED OF THE NEED TO ENSURE THERE 
IS NO DUPLICATION OF EFFORT OR OVERLAP, AND TO ENSURE THAT 
THE GOT IS PROPERLY RESOURCED TO CARRY OUT THE REQUIRED 
KILLING OR CULLING OF AN ESTIMATED 5 MILLION BIRDS. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  DOMENECH STATED THAT TURKEY FACES A GAP IN 
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, WHICH IS WHY FAO HAS SENT EXPERTS 
THERE FOR THREE WEEKS UNDER THE FAO/OIE UMBRELLA TO SUPPORT 
ANKARA'S NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF TURKEY'S 81 REGIONS.  THERE IS 
A GREAT SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE IN 
REMOTE REGIONS.  HE QUIETLY MENTIONED THE SENSITIVITIES 
RELATED TO THE USE OF THE TURKISH ARMY TO CONDUCT 
ACTIVITIES IN LARGELY KURDISH AREAS.  WE CAN TAKE OUT). 
WHEN ASKED HOW DONORS COULD HELP TURKEY, DOMENECH STATED 
THAT MANY DONORS DO NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEED 
FOR VEHICLES TO SERVICE TURKEY'S VAST RURAL COMMUNITIES. 
IN HIS VIEW, DONORS FOCUS TOO MUCH ON THE DIAGNOSTICS AND 
PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (PPE).  HE STATED THAT THE 
GOT KNOWS WHAT IT IS DOING IN ITS EFFORTS TO COMBAT OTHER 
ANIMAL DISEASES (E.G., RINDERPEST), ALTHOUGH AVIAN 
INFLUENZA IS A VERY DIFFERENT DISEASE.  MANY DONORS ALSO 
HAVE QUESTIONED WHETHER THE GOT NEEDS EXTERNAL RESOURCES TO 
SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES, NOTING THAT THE COUNTRY IS 
WEALTHY ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE OUTBREAK.  DOMENECH BELIEVES 
THAT THERE IS A NEED TO COMPLEMENT NATIONAL LAB FACILITIES 
AND COMMUNICATIONS. 
 
----------------------------------- 
ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, AND GEORGIA 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  BECAUSE OF ARMENIA'S COMMON BORDER WITH TURKEY, 
DOMENECH STATED THAT FAO DECIDED JANUARY 12 TO SEND A TWO- 
MEMBER ASSESSMENT TEAM NEXT WEEK TO REVIEW THE SITUATION IN 
ARMENIA, FOCUSING MAINLY ON THE RISK AT THE BORDER WHERE 
THE FIRST HUMAN CASES IN TURKEY WERE REPORTED.  THE WORLD 
BANK HAD ALSO ASKED FAO INFORMALLY TO IDENTIFY A LABORATORY 
EXPERT WHO COULD BE SENT TO ARMENIA TO HELP WITH 
DIAGNOSTICS.  DOMENECH'S STAFF SPOKE AT THE DECEMBER 
WORKSHOP FAO HOSTED IN YEREVAN TO REWRITE CONTINGENCY PLANS 
TO INCLUDE AVIAN INFLUENZA SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL 
ACTIVITIES.  NEXT WEEK'S MISSION WILL DETERMINE THE STATUS 
OF AND PROGRESS MADE ON THE CONTINGENCY PLANS AND WHETHER 
ARMENIA HAS INCORPORATED ANY AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPARATIONS. 
FAO INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN IN COMMUNICATION IN OCTOBER 
2005 WITH USAID/YEREVAN ON A $3 MILLION PROPOSAL TO 
STRENGTHEN SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL OF MAJOR TRANS-BOUNDARY 
ANIMAL DISEASES THROUGH UPGRADING DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES, BUT 
HAD NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE (NOTE: USMISSION UN ROME 
HAS RECEIVED AND FORWARDED AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE 
PROPOSAL TO USAID/W FOR UPDATE.  END NOTE.)  THE MAJOR 
ISSUE FOR ARMENIA IS WHETHER AND HOW TO COMPENSATE FARMERS 
FOR CULLING.  FAO STATED THAT ARMENIA'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES 
ARE LACKING TO COMPENSATE APPROPRIATELY AND THUS THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO VACCINATE USING RUSSIAN- 
MANUFACTURED VACCINES. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  DOMENECH AND HIS STAFF BELIEVE BOTH AZERBAIJAN 
AND GEORGIA ARE BETTER PLACED THAN ARMENIA  [NOTING THAT 
FOR GEORGIA, THERE ARE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN PLAY HERE, 
REFERRING TO THE VERY SENSITIVE STATE-DEPARTMENT SPONSORED 
THREAT AGENT RESPONSE AND DETECTION (TARD) PROJECT, WHICH 
THE GOVERNMENT IS RELUCTANT TO USE AS A REGIONAL FACILITY]. 
FOR EXAMPLE, AZERBAIJAN IS CAPABLE OF CONDUCTING 
SEROLOGICAL TESTING OF THE VIRUS, HOWEVER, IT IS LACKING A 
FACILITY FOR FRONTLINE DIAGNOSTICS AND DOES NOT HAVE THE 
FIELD INFRASTRUCTURE TO INVESTIGATE OUTBREAK REPORTS WELL. 
GEORGIA, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS A SOPHISTICATED DIAGNOSTIC 
FACILITY AS A RESULT OF TARD.  DOMENECH STATED FAO WILL 
NEED TO KEEP PRESSURE ON THE AZERBAIJANIS IN ORDER TO KEEP 
THEM PREPARED.  TWO MONTHS AGO, AN AZERBAIJAN CONTINGENCY 
PLAN WAS ALSO PREPARED AND REVIEWED BY USAID/BAKU (NOTE: 
USMISSION UN ROME REQUESTS A STATUS UPDATE TO INFORM FAO. 
END NOTE.)  IN AZERBAIJAN, THE WORLD BANK IS FINANCING A 
PROJECT WITH A STRONG FIELD VETERINARY COMPONENT THAT COULD 
BE USED TO EXPAND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES.  FAO 
BELIEVES IT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A QUALITY 
CONTROL REVIEW OF THE AZERBAIJAN GOVERNMENT'S CONTINGENCY 
PLAN AND HELP RATCHET UP SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES WITH WORLD 
BANK SUPPORT.  FAO ALSO NOTED THAT TARD HAS PLANS TO WORK 
WITH AZERBAIJAN, BUT NOT BEFORE 2007.  IN ANY CASE, 
DOMENECH STRESSED THAT FAO AND OTHERS NEED TO ENSURE THAT 
SUSPECTED OUTBREAKS ARE FOLLOWED UP ON PROMPTLY AND 
REPORTED ACCORDINGLY. 
¶7.  (U)  FAO ALSO HAS PLANS TO ESTABLISH BY MARCH 2006 A 
REGIONAL FAO/OIE OFFICE IN TBILISI, GEORGIA, TO COVER 
GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN, AND ARMENIA, COMPLEMENTING THE FAO 
PERSON ALREADY BASED IN TEHERAN.  A VETERINARY OFFICER WILL 
BE PLACED IN TBILISI AND WILL HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL 
ANIMAL DISEASES, NOT JUST AVIAN INFLUENZA BUT FOOT AND 
MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) AS WELL.  BECAUSE THE OFFICER WILL BE 
UNDER THE FAO/OIE FLAG, THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL ALSO BE 
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING CROSS-BORDER VISITS TO TURKEY.  FAO 
HAS ASKED FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING AN ADDITIONAL 
EXPERT WITH RUSSIAN LANGUAGE AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SKILLS TO 
ASSIGN TO TBILISI FOR ONE YEAR. 
¶8.  (U)  USMISSION UN ROME WILL CONTINUE TO COVER AND 
WIDELY DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON FAO ACTIVITIES TO COMBAT 
AND CONTROL AVIAN INFLUENZA. 
 
HALL