CUSTOMS OUT TO PROTECT RUSSIAN DISTILLERS FROM RIVAL NEIGHBOURS

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MOSCOW, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Federal Customs Service is determined to protect domestic distillers from overwhelming Ukrainian liquor imports, said Alexander Zherikhov, Service vice-president. He was addressing today's session of an expert council for alcoholic beverage export/import customs regulation.

"This is an important and interesting matter, and we are willing to consider it"-but not before involved Russian-based companies apply to the council for assistance. Meanwhile, they are keeping silent, remarked Mr. Zherikhov.

"If Russian-based distillers make a respective appeal, the matter will come up for debate at the nearest council session. Later on, it may be expected on the agenda of the federal Ministry of Economic Development and Trade," a Customs Service PR officer said to Novosti.

Ukraine accounted for 87 per cent of Russian vodka imports in the first quarter-year-a period which tripled vodka imports against January-March 2003. Total liquor imports for this year's initial three months amounted to 87.7 million litres to US$151 million-50 per cent more than in January-March 2003, say Customs Committee statistics.

Judging by available trends, strong drink imports will come another 40 per cent up within this year, Elchin Safarov, in charge of the Customs Committee board for federal customs revenues, said to the expert council.

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