UN AND CHINESE OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING HOW CHINA'S EXPERIENCE IN FIGHTING H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA MIGHT BE USED TO HELP AFRICAN NATIONS HANDLE RECENT BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS, THE UN SYSTEM COORDINATOR FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA SAID ON TUESDAY. UN COORDINATOR DAVID NABARRO SAID HE DISCUSSED WITH CHINESE HEALTH AND AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS CHINA'S 'WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST OTHER AFFECTED COUNTRIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AVIAN INFLUENZA AND PREPAREDNESS FOR POSSIBLE HUMAN PANDEMIC.' NEW SUSPECTED BIRD FLU CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EGYPT, NIGERIA, CAMEROON, NIGER AND BURKINA FASO, DPA REPORTED. NABARRO DID NOT SAY IF CHINA HAD MADE ANY SPECIFIC PLEDGE TO HELP THE AFFECTED AFRICAN NATIONS. HE SAID THE 'ENORMOUSLY RAPID SPREAD' OF H5N1 BIRD FLU MEANS THAT HEALTH OFFICIALS NI CHINA AND ELSEWHERE MUST REMAIN 'ETERNALLY VIGILANT' 'ONE MUST BE PRETTY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY CHINA IS ADDRESSING H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA, BUT IT'S A LONG HAUL,' NABARRO TOLD REPORTERS AFTER TALKS IN BEIJING ON TUESDAY. NABARRO WAS SCHEDULED TO LEAVE BEIJING ON TUESDAY EVENING FOR VISITS TO LAOS, VIETNAM, THAILAND AND INDONESIA. --MORE 22 44 LOCAL TIME 19 44 GMT
