EU official to visit RI to discuss bird flu

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The European health commissioner Markos Kyprianou will arrive in Jakarta on Monday to discuss avian influenza, food safety and sanitary issues with Indonesian authorities, the European Union (EU) Delegation of the European Commission (EC) to Indonesia said in Jakarta on Saturday.

During his three-day stay, commissioner Kyprianou will discuss the current avian influenza situation in Indonesia and the measures being taken by authorities.

"Kyprianou will also discuss how surveillance and control of the avian influenza virus could be strengthened. Other issues that Mr. Kyprianou will be discussing include food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary issues related to the fish exports to Europe," the EC delegation said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

The virus, also known as bird flu, has killed 64 people in Asia: five in Indonesia, 42 of them in Vietnam, 13 in Thailand and four in Cambodia.

On Sunday, an Indonesian woman showing all the symptoms of the deadly virus died in Jakarta. Indonesia has had more than a dozen suspected bird flu deaths, but only five have been confirmed.

Kyprianou, who is on a tour to Southeast Asia, is scheduled to meet the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari, Minister of Agriculture Anton Apriyantono and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Freddy Numberi.

Earlier this week, the EC announced that up to US$35.5 million had been allocated to Southeast Asian governments to fight the spread of bird flu.