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Subject: RA: ETimor reduces movement of illegal poultry from Indonesia
East Timor reduces movement of illegal poultry from Indonesia 10/17/2005 10:16:51 PM EDT BBC MONITORING INTERNATIONAL REPORTS Text of report by Radio Australia on 18 October [Newsreader] Australian quarantine officials say they're confident East Timor is making significant progress in its ability to diagnose and handle an outbreak of bird flu. Sarah Hawke reports, the assurance comes in light of recent deaths in Indonesia. [Hawke] Australia has been helping East Timor set up a quarantine service since its independence three years ago. The focus has been on reducing the risk of poultry coming in, particularly across the border from Indonesian West Timor. A veterinary officer with the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy, Emma Watkins, says Australian and East Timorese quarantine officials have engaged in a public awareness campaign to limit the risks, including showing videos in villages. [Watkins] Their capacity to handle something like this has increased in a huge amount over the last couple of years, and I guess it's a continuing work. [Hawke] Dr Watkins says the quarantine service has been strengthened on the border to reduce the movement of illegal poultry. Source: Radio Australia, Melbourne, in English 0100 gmt 18 Oct 05 BBC Monitoring
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