Cablegate: Avian Influenza - Das Marciel Meets with Komnas Secretary

VZCZCXRO5150
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2396 2430251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310251Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6009
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J07/CATMED/CAT//
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8111
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1082
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1028
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7610

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002396

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT PGOV ID
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA - DAS MARCIEL MEETS WITH KOMNAS SECRETARY
KRISNAMURTHI

1.(SBU) National Committee on Avian Influenza Management and
Pandemic Alert (KOMNAS) Secretary Bayu Krisnamurthi praised USG
contributions towards avian influenza control during an August 28
meeting with EAP Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Scot Marciel.
Bayu singled out for praise NAMRU-2's, CDC's and USAID's early
contributions when NAMRU first identified human cases of avian
influenza in 2005.

2. (SBU) Marciel impressed upon Bayu USG avian influenza virus
sample sharing concerns, stressing Washington's concerns about the
serious risks associated with not sharing samples. He applauded the
Ministry of Health's recent sharing of Bali samples with the Centers
for Disease Control and emphasized the need for resuming full sample
sharing rapidly. When asked for his thoughts on resolving the
sample sharing impasse, Bayu responded that he thought a solution
was already underway in the "WHO pipeline" but that any solution
would need to address economic aspects including shared vaccine
development for Indonesia. Bayu also mentioned that he had heard
that Minister of Health Fadilah Supari might accompany President
Yudhoyono to the US at the end of September.

3. (SBU) Comment: Bayu's reference to the Minister's visit is the
first time we have heard of her possible travel plans. Our
crosscheck with the MOH protocol office corroborated that the
Minister of Health planned to travel to the US for September 19-25.
The protocol office could not confirm whether she will accompany
President Yudhoyono to New York but the dates coincide. We are
checking with other MOH contacts to learn more about this planned
travel.

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