VZCZCXRO5271
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0361/01 0970445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070445Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7167
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2534
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1616
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1268
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1155
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0336
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 000361 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) 
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR JAMES HIGGISTON 
TASHKENT FOR ESTH (PUTNAM) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX
SUBJECT: SENIOR VETERINARY OFFICIALS BRIEFED DCM ON AI 
 
REFTEL:      A) ASHGABAT 213 
 
             B) ASHGABAT 270 
             C) STATE 153802 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.   (U) PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP 
ON AVIAN INFLUENZA.  ON APRIL 5, THE DCM MET WITH SENIOR 
VETERINARY SERVICE OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THE GOTX'S 
EFFORTS IN FIGHTING AI.  CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER OF 
TURKMENISTAN AND DIRECTOR OF THE STATE VETERINARY 
DEPARTMENT MURAD GOCHMURADOV, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF STATE 
VETERINARY DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST OF 
TURKMENISTAN HUDAIBERDY MUHAMMEDOV, DIRECTOR OF THE 
NATIONAL VETERINARY LABORATORY (DESIGNATED AS THE AI 
REFERENCE LABORATORY) AMAN TATOV AND CHIEF VETERINARY 
OFFICER OF ASHGABAT NAZAR BASHIMOV PARTICIPATED IN THE 
MEETING.  THE MEETING REINFORCED WHAT POST ALREADY 
REPORTED AND CONCLUDED WITH A REQUEST FOR TRAINING AND 
ASSISTANCE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER BRIEFS NATIONAL AI PLAN 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
___________________ 
¶2. (SBU) DIRECTOR OF THE STATE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT 
MURAD GOCHMURADOV TOLD THE DCM ON APRIL 5 THAT THE GOTX 
HAS A NATIONAL AI PLAN, WHICH INCLUDED PREVENTIVE 
MEASURES AND ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN CASE OF AN AI 
OUTBREAK.  GOCHMURADOV LISTED AS PREVENTIVE MEASURES: 
POULTRY IMPORT CONTROL, DISINFECTION AND VETERINARY 
CONTROL AT THE BORDERS, CONTROL AND MONITORING OF 
MIGRATORY FOWL, AND THE PUBLICATION OF AI BROCHURES FOR 
FARMERS.  EMERGENCY ACTIONS INCLUDED COLLECTING SUSPECTED 
AI-INFECTED POULTRY AND TRANSPORTING THE PACKAGE TO THE 
ASHGABAT NATIONAL REFERENCE LABORATORY.  GOCHMURADOV SAID 
THAT IN EACH WELAYAT (PROVINCE) THE STATE VETERINARY 
DEPARTMENT DESIGNATED TRAINED STAFF MEMBERS TO COLLECT 
SUSPICIOUS MATERIAL.  DIRECTOR OF THE REFERENCE 
LABORATORY TATOV SAID THE STAFF WAS EQUIPPED WITH 
PROTECTIVE COSTUMES AND SPECIAL TRANSPORT CONTAINERS. 
CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST MUHAMMEDOV SAID THAT AI-POSITIVE 
MATERIAL WOULD BE SENT TO THE LONDON-BASED AI REFERENCE 
LABORATORY FOR CONFIRMATION. 
 
VET DEPARTMENT EDUCATES STUDENTS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3.   (U) ASHGABAT CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER NAZAROV TOLD 
THE DCM THAT HIS OFFICE WORKED WITH SCHOOLS ON AI THREAT 
AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES.  STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO REPORT 
ON DEAD BIRDS, AND OTHER ANIMALS, FOUND IN THE CITY. 
 
TURKMEN-LANGUAGE AI ARTICLE FOR FARMERS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.   (SBU) MUHAMMEDOV TOLD THE DCM THAT HIS OFFICE 
PREPARED AN AI ARTICLE FOR THE TURKMEN-LANGUAGE MAGAZINE 
"TAZE OBA" (NEW VILLAGE).  THE MAGAZINE ARTICLE, THE 
DEPUTY CHAIRMEN OF THE CABINET OF MINISTERS AND HEALTH 
MINISTER GURBANGULY BERDIMUHAMMEDOV'S NATIONALLY 
BROADCAST MARCH 3 REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT ON AI (REFTEL 
B), AND THE FEBRUARY 16 PRESS REPORT ON THE WHO-SPONSORED 
AI WORKSHOP (REF A), REPRESENTED THE GOTX'S MEDIA PUBLIC 
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.  THE DCM NOTED THAT SHE FOUND IT 
STRANGE THE MEDIA HAD CARRIED NO INFORMATION ON 
PREVENTATIVE PRACTICE, JUST THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 
THAT AI WAS NOT A PROBLEM IN TURKMENISTAN.  SHE NOTED THE 
REST OF THE WORLD PRESS MEDIA CARRIED CONTINUOUS DAILY 
UPDATES AND ADVICE ON PREVENTING THE DISEASE.  MUHAMMEDOV 
AVOIDED DCM'S COMMENT AND SAID THE PUBLIC IN TURKMENISTAN 
WAS ADEQUATELY AWARE OF THE DISEASE. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000361  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
ASSISTANCE REQUESTED 
-------------------- 
 
¶5.   (U) MUHAMMEDOV TOLD THE DCM THAT THE USG COULD 
PROVIDE SPECIAL LAB EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY THE 
AI VIRUS STRAIN.  HE ALSO REQUESTED AI TRAINING FOR THE 
NATIONAL AI REFERENCE LAB STAFF.  DCM ENCOURAGED 
MUHAMMEDOV TO MAKE A SPECIFIC REQUEST. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.   (SBU) ALTHOUGH THE MEETING DID NOT ELICIT NEW 
INFORMATION, IT WAS A DIRECT OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE THE 
EMBASSY'S INTEREST IN AI PREVENTIVE MEASURES AT THE 
WORKING LEVEL.  LACK OF PRACTICAL ADVICE OR MENTION OF 
THE DISEASE IN THE LOCAL MEDIA IS TYPICAL, POST SERIOUSLY 
DOUBTS THE PUBLIC IS ADEQUATELY AWARE OF AI, MUCH LESS 
ITS PREVENTION.  WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THE REQUEST FOR 
TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT.  END COMMENT. 
 
JACOBSON