October 14 2005, 11:33 Interfax

Georgia struggles to stop bird flu

Georgian government has allocated to the agriculture and food ministry 800,000 laris (about $500,000) for purchases of diagnostic devices and disinfectants to prevent expansion of bird flu onto the territory of the country, Intefax news agency informed. The Prime Minister Zurab Nogadieli said the decision was urged by the bird flue spread in the adjacent countries, he said to media after a meeting of government Thursday.

"The issue causes concern in Georgia. We are trying to take preventive measures", he said.

He noted, however, that according to forecasts, Georgia is not under a threat to be infected with bird flu strains which are dangerous for humans, but the necessary equipment and medicaments will all the same be purchased.

The Agriculture and Food Minister Mikhail Svimonishvili told reporters that negotiations about the purchase of the equipment and disinfectants were being held with Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and USA. He said that International Epizootic Bureau had released a list of 13 countries which might be posing a threat of bird flu expansion, among which there are Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Rumania, which are adjacent or close to Georgia.