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Russia, Belarus To Resume Talks On Dairy Dispute

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  • Russia, Belarus To Resume Talks On Dairy Dispute

    RUSSIA, BELARUS TO RESUME TALKS ON DAIRY DISPUTE

    RIA Novosti
    June 15, 2009

    MOSCOW, June 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will resume discussions on
    Monday with Belarus on resuming the country's dairy exports, which
    Moscow has banned over health concerns, Russia's chief sanitary
    official said.

    Russia banned imports of dairy products, one of Belarus's key exports,
    earlier this month, saying the ex-Soviet republic had failed to
    comply with new Russian regulations. Minsk boycotted a security
    summit in Moscow on Sunday in protest at what it called "economic
    discrimination".

    "We have agreed that [Belarusian] experts will arrive on Monday,
    and we will outline our priorities. We are prepared for cooperation,
    we have always been ready for cooperation," Gennady Onishchenko said,
    adding however that Russia would make no concessions on the issue.

    An aide to Belarus's agriculture minister said on Monday that the
    problem could be resolved within a week.

    "Within two days we will prepare all samples, which will be sent
    to [Russian regulator] Rospotrepnadzor labs. I believe the problem
    will be settled within a week," Kazimir Romanovsky was quoted by the
    Belarusian news agency Belta as saying.

    Romanovsky said Belarus's dairy exports to Russia are worth $1 billion
    a year.

    Relations between the former Soviet republics have been strained
    in recent years, over growing prices for Russian natural gas, and
    Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko's efforts to strengthen ties
    with the West and move out of Moscow's sphere of influence.

    Lukashenko cancelled plans to take part in a summit of the Collective
    Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which groups Russia, Belarus,
    Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

    Russia President Dmitry Medvedev criticized Lukashenko for failing
    to personally contact him to discuss Belarus's refusal to attend.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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