EU, Russia Seek Compromise In Trade Dispute
MOSCOW - Russia withdrew a threat yesterday to ban meat imports from the European Union from April 1 and said it wanted a compromise with Brussels on food safety in a potential breakthrough after months of tension.
30 March 2007
1 minute read
The European Commission responded by announcing its health chief will meet his Russian counterpart next month to try to resolve rows over meat imports that have stymied moves to boost ties between the 27-nation bloc and its biggest energy supplier.
Lifting a 16-month-old Russian ban on Polish meat imports will be the focus of talks between EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou and Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev in mid-April, a European Commission official said.
An end to that ban could clear the way for negotiations to start on a new strategic partnership agreement covering energy, economic cooperation and human rights, which Warsaw vetoed last November in protest at the Russian boycott.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has given high priority to relations with Moscow under Berlin’s six-month EU presidency, will attend an EU-Russia summit with President Vladimir Putin and top EU officials in Samara, Russia, on May 18.
