EU official to visit RI to discuss bird flu

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.