Wikileaks - XLVI

Friday, 02 September, Year 3 d.Tr. | Author: Mircea Popescu
    "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

Category: Breaking News
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