4/23/2007

Poland to maintain veto on EU-Russia talks

WARSAW) - Poland will maintain its veto on new talks between the EU and Russia, Poland's prime minister said Sunday after negotiations failed to lift Moscow's embargo on Polish meat.

"Everything remains as before," Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said, cited by PAP news agency. "We do not agree to opening discussions with Russia on a new agreement as long as this issue is not settled."

EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou and Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev failed to broker a deal on Sunday that would have seen Moscow lift its embargo on Polish meat and plant products.

The row has taken on wider proportions since Warsaw vetoed the opening of talks between the European Union and Russia on a new partnership agreement.

That broad economic cooperation agreement is to be aimed, among other things, at securing a reliable flow to Europe from Russia's massive oil and gas fields.

Russia accuses the Polish authorities of lax practices over food safety standards. It imposed the embargo in November 2005.

Warsaw argues that the ban is a politically motivated move against the former Soviet satellite state, now an EU member.

Kyprianou said Sunday that talks between Russian and EU officials would continue on the embargo, but a new date has not been set for negotiations.

Germany's foreign minister said last weekend that he hoped the issue would be resolved in time for the next EU-Russia summit beginning May 18.

Source: eubusiness.com



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