January 16 the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated «there are no reasons for not believing the avian influenza virus has not crossed the eastern limits of Turkey.» Organization specialist Dr. Juan Labrot, who lately returned from Turkey, said the only confirmed case of infection with H5N1 virus in Turkey that led to death was registered in Arlik village bordering with Armenia. Having confirmed FAO statement that it is not ruled out that the bird flu virus has penetrated Turkey adjacent countries: Armenia, Iran, Syria, Labrot stated «the FAO has to get reliable and transparent information from countries neighboring Turkey, which will ensure absence of avian influenza in those countries.» Answering the question whether Armenia has got in touch with the FAO on the bird flu issue, the UN specialist said, «Armenia kept in touch with the organization within the framework of other programs, however, no specific report on the state of heald of birds was received from the Armenian Government.»
«Within past few months we received reports on high level of bird death in countries neighboring with Turkey owing to poisoning or other diseases. However, the diagnoses are to be confirmed by FAO laboratories and the World Organization for Animal Health,» Labrot said. Cases of bird death are registered in a number of Armenian villages. Local authorities and high rank officials of the staff for fighting bird flu assure the population that the dead birds were examined in laboratories and bird flu is not found. «Words are not enough. It should be proved,» Labrot stated. «We would like to closely cooperate with Armenian authorities, help them make sure the virus is absent,» the UN specialist remarked. The FAO will send its specialists to Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine to check whether their laboratories are able to provide accurate diagnostics, he said, reported RFE/RL.
