Bird flu declared 'global threat'

European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday declared the spread of bird flu from Asia into Europe a "global threat" requiring international action.

However European Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said that the presence of bird flu in southeastern Europe did not increase the risk of a pandemic.

"The fact we have avian flu in Europe does not affect the possibility of a human influenza pandemic," Kyprianou told a news conference, calling for increased preparedness on the part of Europe if bird flu spread to humans.