The following news release from the U.S. Embassy was released today:

Ambassador Evans met with President Kocharian on Tuesday, January 17 to discuss concerns that have arisen in Washington and elsewhere in connection with the November 27 referendum on the constitutional amendments. The Millennium Challenge Compact that was approved in December by the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation has yet to be signed, and the announcement of the compact’s approval was accompanied by a letter to President Kocharian from Ambassador John Danilovich, the MCC’s chief executive officer, voicing “concerns about the Government of Armenia’s commitment to good governance.” To be eligible for assistance under the Millennium Challenge Account, states must satisfy certain criteria, one of which can be summarized as “ruling justly.” The Ambassador and President Kocharian discussed possible steps that might be taken to reassure the United States that Armenia remains committed to strengthening democratic institutions and to the holding of free and fair elections in 2007 and 2008. Ambassador Evans and President Kocharian also discussed cooperation between the two countries aimed at combating the threat of avian influenza.

Advice to Amb Evans and people who share this approach: don’t haggle over the price AFTER the deal is made. Having announced the MCC compact, the U.S. really gave up the only lever they had.

I even add a category for it today!

The Foreign Ministry, according to Regnum, has asked Armenian citizens to not visit Turkey until this is all sorted out.

RFE/RL covered this situation yesterday as well:

Officials said the government in Yerevan has imposed a complete ban on poultry imports, introduced mandatory sanitary controls on Armenia’s border crossings and ordered the Armenia customs to check every piece of luggage arriving from Turkey.

Hunting for them [wild birds] has therefore been banned as part of the latest measures taken by the Armenian government.

We’re*not*freaking*out*yet.

Regnum, (not the most reliable source for news), reports today that the Armenian goverment is going to buy 50,000 bird flu vaccination.

[source]

I’m still worried, though. A Turkish chicken sneezes, it carries through the air, and an Armenian chicken gets sick.

So, a little knowledge gathering is probably in order… Wikipedia is my first stop.

What I learned:

- Vaccinations have to be set for each subtype. There doesn’t seem to be a 100% certain vaccine for the subtype, H5N1, found in Turkey.
- A Turkish doctor said this: “”People who have close contact with animals should receive special treatment but vaccination of the wider population is not necessary for now,” he said.”
- The people that got the virus in Turkey had birds in their home.
- It isn’t just chicken that people need to worry about. Flying birds carry the virus as well. A closed border means nothing, in this case.

So, we’ll continue keeping an eye on things. No freaking out yet.

Onnik posts that the US Embassy sent out a warning about the cases of Bird Flu very close to the Armenian-Turkish border.

Embassy Yerevan Warden Message 1

The Turkish Ministry of Health has confirmed three positive tests of H5 avian influenza in humans in eastern Turkey –approximately 55 kilometers from the Armenian-Turkish border. Two of these cases have resulted in deaths. Press reports indicating other infections in Turkey have not been confirmed. At this time, it has not been confirmed that the recent illnesses in Turkey were caused by H5N1 strain of avian influenza, which has resulted in human deaths in Asia.

The Government of Armenia has stated that there are no confirmed cases of either bird or human avian influenza in Armenia.

Given the situation in neighboring Turkey, we recommend that American citizens avoid all contact with live poultry and wild birds and to avoid commercial or backyard poultry farms and live poultry markets.

Eek! When I was in Azerbaijan in December, I didn’t eat chicken for the same reason (chicken and fish are the only types of meat that I eat.) But with this being so close to the border, I’m a little freaked!

Be careful if you’re in Armenia right now!