Wikileaks - XLVI
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"52761","2/13/2006 13:50","06ANKARA630","Embassy Ankara","UNCLASSIFIED","05ANKARA7561|06ANKARA263|06ANKARA341","VZCZCXRO5006
PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHAK #0630/01 0441350
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131350Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3125
INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0569
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 1834
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1322
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0818
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0353
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 1491
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0993
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 2974
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1496
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 1187
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0807
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0577
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA 0165
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5337
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV 0676
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 6943
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6545
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 6488
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 0080
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0388
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 9797
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/39CES INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFIUU/BDP INCIRLIK AB TU
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1439
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ASTANA 0077
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC","UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000630
SIPDIS
USAID FOR TROSTLE, BLANCHET AND CARROLL
HHS FOR WSTEIGER/PBUDASHEWITZ
FAS FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL, FAS/JDEVER
FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS
VIENNA PASS APHIS
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ
GENEVA PASS HEALTH ATTACHE
ROME FOR US MISSION TO FAO
TREASURY FOR PLANTIER
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: TBIO, AMED, EAID, CASC, SENV, EFIN, EAGR, TU, KFLU
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: USG SUPPORT FOR WORLD BANK
PACKAGE
REF: A. ANKARA 341, B. ANKARA 263, C. 05 ANKARA 7561 AND
PREVIOUS. ANKARA 00000630 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The World Bank is moving ahead with a flagship Avian Influenza (AI) package for Turkey that should be ready for Executive Board approval by the end of March. A U.S. contribution as part of this package could help fill local gaps in a country that remains highly vulnerable to new outbreaks, could bolster the region\'s response, and could help leverage other assistance. A U.S. contribution outside the package would not have the same impact, either in Turkey or regionally. End Summary.
2. (SBU) The World Bank Resrep tells us he plans to enter into loan negotiations with the GOT on February 21- 22 for a $24 million IBRD loan, out of a $44 million AI package that includes $13 million in EU grants and Turkish public and private sector contributions. Given the 5-6 week time lag between conclusion of negotiations and Executive Board approval, this means the package would be finalized at the end of March. Both the World Bank and Turkish Government would welcome U.S. Government participation in this package, which will be seen as the flagship vehicle for the international community efforts.
3. (SBU) Turkey has done a relatively good job on AI animal and human response during the recent outbreaks that lead to the first four human deaths outside Asia. But, as the visiting multi-agency team found, the response was far from perfect and there are key gaps in surveillance and communication (refs). Both the local reps of international organizations and the Turkish government see the current lull following the last death on January 15, as only a respite. Outbreaks in animals continue, and migratory birds will begin returning to Turkey from the south over the coming months. Although culling of backyard fowl is proceeding, Turkey remains very exposed to another outbreak.
4. (SBU) We see potential benefits in at least a small contribution to the World Bank package:
--Turkey\'s geographical location at the crossroads of global bird migrations makes its response critical for ANKARA 00000630 002.2 OF 002 the region and the world.
--Turkey can serve as a model and resource for the region. An example would be developing a regional capacity for laboratory testing for H5N1.
--Even a modest expenditure would engender many benefits in the U.S. relationship with this key country. Our absence from a World Bank/EU package would be well noted.
5. (SBU) As discussed with the visiting team, areas where USG expertise and support could make a difference include supporting additions to human laboratory capacity testing in Ankara (raising to Bio-Security Level 3). This would create a regional capacity that could support the Caucasus, Iraq, and other neighboring countries. Other areas in which the impact of U.S. support could be felt beyond Turkey include (a) augmenting veterinary surveillance training to increase detection capacity for handling multiple outbreaks could be important, and (b) help in developing communications outreach capability for a region of the world that is characterized by high illiteracy rates and multiple languages and ethnicities. An alternative currently outside the scope of the World Bank project - but which could be added - would provide catalytic funding and technical assistance to Turkish activities aimed at crisis response capacity building with neighboring countries. Ankara might have more success than the U.S. or the U.N. agencies in places like Azerbaijan, to say nothing of Syria or Iran.
6. (SBU) It appears to us that the World Bank package is responsive to Turkey\'s needs and well coordinated, although with some difficulty, with relevant GOT agencies. The USG has played an important role in shaping the overall package proposed by the World Bank through our substantial interaction and input with IO\'s during two AI visits and in Washington.
Wilson
