VZCZCXRO8541
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHSK
RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHEK #0444 1271204
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071204Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2168
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0820
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3066
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0687
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0699
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 0115

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000444 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE (RALPH GIFFORD) 
VIENNA FOR APHIS (JAY MITCHELL) 
COMMERCE FOR ITA (STARKS/HOUSE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU EAGR ETRD TBIO KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN BANS U.S. MEAT OVER H1N1 FLU FEARS 
 
REF: STATE 44254 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  On April 28, Kyrgyz veterinary officials 
announced a ban on U.S. meat exports to Kyrgyzstan over fears 
of the H1N1 flu virus.  Announced as a "temporary" measure, 
no written version of the ban has been published.  Although 
in receipt of statements from international organizations 
which indicate that food products are not a known source of 
the virus, the Kyrgyz veterinary service informed the Embassy 
that their ban, which does not restrict all U.S. meat 
products, mimics Kazakh measures and suggested resolving the 
issue with Kazakhstan in order to achieve a lifting of the 
ban in Kyrgyzstan.  End summary. 
 
Kyrgyz Announce Ban on U.S. Meat Exports 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Following an April 28 directive from Kyrgyz Prime 
Minister Igor Chudinov for Kyrgyz officials to take all 
necessary measures to protect the country from the H1N1 
("swine") flu virus, including "strengthening sanitary 
controls on markets especially where meat is traded," Kyrgyz 
Veterinary Department Deputy Director Kubanychbek Musakeev 
announced a ban on all meat imports from the United States 
that same day.  Veterinary Department Director Baimbet 
Murataliev told the Embassy April 29 that the ban would be 
"temporary," and confirmed that no written public decree 
existed regarding this ban.  Murataliev intimated that it was 
easier to ban everything than to try to discriminate among 
different U.S. exports. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On April 30 Embassy sent Murataliev a letter, 
accompanied by statements from the World Organization for 
Animal Health (OIE), which explained that meat products were 
not a known source of the H1N1 flu virus.  Kyrgyz government 
offices were closed from May 1 until May 6 for holidays, 
delaying additional engagement with Kyrgyz veterinary 
authorities on the issue.  However, Embassy has since 
forwarded the joint May 2 FAO/OIE/WHO/WTO H1N1 virus 
statement, which highlighted the fact that there is no 
evidence of H1N1 transmission from food. 
 
Kyrgyz Try to Explain 
--------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Veterinary Department Export/Import Control Sector 
Chief Talant Uzakbaev told Embassy May 7 that the ban, in 
fact, did not cover all U.S. exports.  Uzakbaev said that 
Kyrgyz measures against U.S. exports mimicked Kazakh 
controls, and argued that if the United States wanted 
Kyrgyzstan to lift its ban then we needed to "resolve the 
issue with Kazakhstan." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Kyrgyz officials often turn to Kazakhstan and 
Russia for guidance and ideas in politics, economics, trade 
and many other fields.  It is likely that Kyrgyz officials 
will not act to lift the ban until similar bans are 
eliminated in Russia and Kazakhstan.  While U.S. porcine 
exports are not significant in Kyrgyzstan, U.S. chicken is 
one of the largest U.S. exports to Kyrgyzstan.  Available 
U.S. trade data do not accurately reflect this market due to 
the mislabeling of most exports as being destined for 
Kazakhstan.  Given the importance of chicken exports, Embassy 
suggests that future statements on H1N1 address not only 
porcine products, but poultry as well. 
 
GFOELLER