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FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0269
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0186
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0040
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RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000257 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/PGI, AND OES 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USAID AND USDA/FAS 
ANKARA FOR AG COUNSELOR AND ATTACHE 
ROME FOR FAO REPRESENTATIVE 
GENEVA FOR HEALTH ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016 
TAGS: EAGR EAID PGOV KFLU ASEC CASC AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE:  GOAJ, 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BEGINNING TO RESPOND 
 
REF: BAKU 235 
 
Classified By: DCM Jason P. Hyland per 1.4 (b,d). 
 
¶1. (SBU)  International pressure on the GOAJ to take avian 
influenza seriously appears to have prompted the GOAJ to take 
action.  Following Ambassador and UN Resident Coordinator,s 
February 14 approach to Prime Minister Rasizade (reftel) and 
European Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner,s February 16 pitch on 
avian influenza (septel), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev 
on February 16 issued a decree decree establishing a "State 
Commission for Preventing Avian Influenza."  The decree 
orders all state agencies to work together on the issue.  It 
is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov and 
includes the Ministers of Agriculture, Economic Development, 
Finance, Ecology and Natural Resources, Emergency Situations, 
Health, Internal Affairs, as well as the Chairman for the 
State Customs Committee, the Head of the State Border 
Service.  According to the decree, the role of the commission 
is: 
 
        ¶A.  By February 18, 2006, prepare and approve an 
emergency action plan on preventive measures against Avian 
Influenza (AI). 
        ¶B.  Ensure the daily provision of information on AI 
to the mass media. 
        ¶C.  Present to the Cabinet of Minister a proposal on 
financing the preventive measures against AI, using funds 
from the state budget and international institutions. 
        ¶D.  Constantly inform the President of Azerbaijan on 
the implemented activities. 
        ¶E.  Implement other corresponding activities. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Minister of Agriculture is also calling 
together the diplomatic corps on February 20 for a briefing 
on AI.  We will report out after that meeting, including 
targeted requests to Washington for further assistance. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Post remains actively engaged on AI.  The week of 
February 13 seemed to see some positive developments in the 
international donor coordination.  UNICEF has been taking the 
lead coordination role and is slowly bringing the WHO with 
it.  At a February 16 donor coordination meeting, donors 
reviewed the findings of WHO,s February assessment and 
agreed that US would take lead on technical training and 
Japan would take the lead on laboratory assistance.  The new, 
non-Azerbaijani director of the Baku office of the World 
Health Organization seems to be much more engaged and honest 
about the WHO's capabilities.  EU countries seem to just 
beginning to be engaged on the issue, and post suspects that 
in the next month there will more involvement from these 
countries. 
 
¶4. (C) The biggest issues remain surveillance and testing. 
Azerbaijani, to date, is not able to fully perform these 
functions and has sent samples out for testing at an 
international reference lab only after repeated interventions 
from the U.S. Embassy.  For some time, it appeared the GOAJ's 
inability was as much the result of a lack of will as a lack 
of knowledge.  However, recent meetings with the Prime 
Minister, and the promulgation of a presidential decree -- 
even if it simply ratifies the GOAJ's existing structure for 
dealing with AI -- appear to have solidified some will within 
the GOAJ.  Post is optimistic that the new acting country 
director of the WHO will be more forthcoming on the 
limitations of the WHO, and more proactive and efficacious in 
assisting the GOAJ.  The UN community (namely UNICEF), in 
cooperation with the Azerbaijani government, is completing a 
television public service announcement, though the content of 
the announcement was still somewhat unclear at the February 
16 donors meeting.  Most immediately, the donors committee is 
in the final stages of being able to provide additional 
personal protective equipment. 
 
 
BAKU 00000257  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. (U) During the week of 13 February, post was successful i 
getting a 30-second public service announcementabout AI into 
three of the six local television stations.  This 
thirty-second PSA was produced by USAID in Kiev, and post 
substituted a voice over in the Azerbaijani language.  The 
PSAs have been running often on television and radio. 
 
¶6. (C) COMMENT:  With the establishment of the State 
Committee on Avian Influenza, and the personnel changes at 
the Baku office of the WHO, post is guardedly optimistic that 
the tide may be turning on the AI issue in Azerbaijani, from 
the standpoint of the government's understanding of and 
engagement on the issue.  That said, the State Committee does 
not have the technical know-how or experience to implement a 
robust surveillance and testing program.  Additionally, most 
of the individuals on the committee whom post has dealt with 
on AI in the past have been unhelpful at best and 
intransigent/obstructionist at worst.  Hopefully, President 
Aliyev,s engagement on this issue will change things. 
 
¶7. (C) COMMENT, CONTINUED:  Post is encouraged by the active 
role UNICEF is playing in organizing the international 
donors.  While it does not have any technical expertise, the 
UNICEF director is a good organizer and planner.  That it has 
fallen to the UNICEF director to coordinate the UN response 
speaks as much to the impotency of the local WHO office, and 
disengagement of other UN representatives in Azerbaijan, such 
as UNDP, on this issue.  Amidst what may be termed an 
impending crisis, FAO has no personnel on the ground working 
with the veterinary service or Ministry of Agriculture.  The 
UK and German embassies have both expressed private concerns 
to emboffs about the UN's disjointed response.  Given this 
vacuum, other international donors have been forced to assume 
a larger role.  In addition to the valuable work of UNICEF, 
Post has appreciated the flexibility and involvement of the 
Japanese Embassy which is in discussions with Tokyo about 
sending a health expert/consultant to Baku permanently, to 
work on all health issues arising from AI.  The Japanese 
government also is finalizing the details on sending two 
Azerbaijanis to Japan for technical training.  More than a 
month after large bird deaths were first reported in 
Azerbaijan, the GOAJ appears to be coming around.  The UN, 
after a dismal start and much prodding by the Embassy and 
international community, may be doing the same. 
HARNISH