Poland and Russia to discuss lifting meat ban in talks tomorrow - ministry

WARSAW (Thomson Financial) - Poland and Russia are expected to address the possible lifting of a Russian import ban on Polish meat in talks scheduled for tomorrow in Moscow, Poland's agriculture ministry said.

Polish Agriculture Minister Marek Sawicki will raise the issue during talks with his Russian counterpart Alexei Gordeyev, Sawicki's spokesman Dariusz Maminski told Agence France-Presse.

Moscow imposed the embargo in November 2005, blaming Poland's food safety standards. Warsaw claimed the ban was groundless and a purely political move against Poland's then conservative-nationalist government.

Poland's new liberal prime minister, Donald Tusk, who took office last month after winning a snap election, has pledged to try to resolve the dispute and rebuild ties with Russia.

Russian veterinary inspectors recently visited Polish food industry plants covered by the Russian embargo.

According to a source close to the Polish agriculture ministry, the Russian inspectors indicated the import ban would be lifted in the near future.

Source:forbes.com