February 15, 2006

Ukraine, Russia to cooperate against bird flu

Ukraine and Russia will create a joint commission to fight bird flu, which officials fear could spread further with the advent of warm weather, President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday.

The lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu first appeared in Siberia last July, and has since   spread westward. In December, the disease was recorded in the Black Sea Crimean Peninsula.

Yushchenko told David Nabarro, the UN coordinator for combating bird flu, the disease poses a challenge for all of Europe and the world.

"I spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about coordinating the activity of both countries," Yushchenko said. "I think soon a bilateral commission or some other structure will be created to coordinate research, preventive and other efforts in the fight against this problem."

The Health Ministry said domestic birds have died in 42 Crimean villages, and in 24, the diagnosis has been confirmed as bird flu.

Officials fear the virus will spread in the spring when birds start to migrate, and Nabarro's visit was intended as part of a UN effort to provide assistance to Ukraine.