VZCZCXRO3015
RR RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1345/01 0861530
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271530Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9194
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 6848
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 3040
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2366
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5742
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1210
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001345 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/FO, SA/A, EB/TPP 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CJTF-76 FOR POLAD, CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A 
COMMERCE FOR AADLER, SHAMROCK, JNELHYBEL 
ISLAMABAD FOR AG ATTACHE HANDERSON 
USDA FOR FAS - WILLIAM BRANT 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV EFIN PREL OPIC EAID PGOV AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN ADVOCACY SUCCESS STORY: U.S. POULTRY 
IMPORTER OVERCOMES AI SCARE WITH EMBASSY SUPPORT 
 
REF: KABUL 0938 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  In the wake of Afghanistans first 
confirmed case of Avian Influenza, Summit Associates, an 
American company that imports U.S. frozen chicken and eggs, 
requested Embassy advocacy to intervene with customs 
officials blocking Summit containers from entering the 
country and to help lobby GOA authorities against a 
possible all-out imported poultry ban. Embassy advocacy 
with senior GOA officials in Kabul and Herat, including the 
Minister of Agriculture, got Summits product cleared. 
While Summits troubles have eased for now, widespread 
Afghan misunderstanding and fear about the nature of AI 
will require continued Embassy vigilance.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On March 12, Econoff was contacted by the owner of 
Summit Associates, a Long Island based company that imports 
U.S. frozen chicken and eggs from Arkansas to Afghanistan 
via Pakistan and Iran (reftel.)  Customs officials in Herat 
had refused to clear a shipment of ten containers of Summit 
product, which was still sitting at the border.  Summit was 
concerned that the GOA would soon institute a total ban on 
n 
imported poultry products in a misguided attempt to prevent 
the spread of AI.  Summit requested immediate Embassy 
advocacy to help clear its shipment in Herat and to arrange 
meetings with senior GOA officials to provide them 
information about USG export policies that prevent the 
export of contaminated product. 
 
¶3. (U) A March 12 Ministry of Finance decree (based on a 
decision by the National Committee for AI) banned poultry 
imports from Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, China and India but 
allowed continued imports of poultry products from AI free 
countries such as the United States, Brazil and Australia 
on a trial basis.  Embassy contacted Herat Customs to 
request immediate clearance based on this decree.  The 
shipments were cleared on March 14 thanks to intervention 
by the USAID-funded Bearing Point Customs Advisor based in 
Herat. 
 
¶4. (U) On March 18 Econ Section arranged for and attended 
meetings with Summit management and Deputy Director of 
Customs Sayed Merjan Moshef, Deputy Minister of Commerce 
Ziauddin Zia, Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Health Dr. 
Abdullah Fahim and Minister of Agriculture Obaidullah 
Ramin.  In each meeting, Summit explained that its products 
are subject to stringent US health and safety requirements 
and certified disease-free by USDA health inspectors before 
shipment. 
 
¶5. (SBU) All GOA officials acknowledged that the U.S. is AI 
free and that, as poultry products are a cheap and 
economical source of protein for the population, a total 
ban would be counterproductive.  The Ministry of Health 
provided Embassy an advance copy of a March 19 letter from 
the Minister of Health to the Minister of Commerce 
supporting continued import of poultry products from AI 
free countries.  Deputy Minister Zia acknowledged the 
importance of Summits USD 1 million investment to the 
country and promised to weigh in on the economic impact of 
a total ban with the National Committee.  The Deputy 
Director of Customs promised to speak with Herat Customs 
about properly enforcing the existing regulations. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Minister Ramin was less sympathetic to Summits 
plight, hinting that the GOA may politically have no choice 
but to institute a total ban as uninformed and widespread 
 
KABUL 00001345  002 OF 002 
 
 
concern among the Afghan population creates pressure for 
the GOA to take bold measures.  Ramin noted that the 
decision would not be his alone and offered to arrange for 
Summit to address the National Committee on AI. 
 
¶7. (SBU) On March 20, Econoff accompanied Summit to Herat 
for a meeting with the Director of Herat Customs to request 
that future shipments are properly cleared in accordance 
with the GOAs decree.  With the assistance of Herat PRTOff 
and Bearing Point Customs Advisor, Econoff secured 
assurances that Summits shipment would not only be 
cleared, but processed immediately at the Islam Qalah 
border crossing rather than in Herat proper (Note: The 120 
kilometer distance between the two points often results 
additional bureaucratic delays and additional fees. 
fees. 
End note.) Fifteen containers were cleared at Islam Qalah 
on March 25 without incident. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment: Direct and timely post intervention, up 
to the level of the Minister of Agriculture, was effective 
in resolving Summits immediate concern. In an effort to 
prevent a politically motivated total ban on poultry 
imports, we will continue to work with Summit to raise GOA 
awareness of measures in place to prevent AI from entering 
the country through U.S. poultry imports.  Summit has 
offered to fund technical advisors from USDA and the U.S. 
Poultry and Egg Export Council to provide training on these 
issues.  Misinformation among the local populace, however, 
is another matter.  While in Herat, Econoff learned that 
local mullahs have issued fatwahs against eating chicken. 
Summit may face tough times ahead. 
 
Norland