Veterinary control of imported meat has become a key stumbling block at Russia-U.S. bilateral WTO negotiations, with the U.S. insisting that Russia end its system of audits and veterinary checks for issuing export certificates. Russia insists on keeping its audit system on public safety grounds.
Alexei Gordeyev said, "We had a serious and well-reasoned position at negotiations [on WTO accession] and believe that in issues of production quality control, the Russian side has substantial experience and practice recognized by the international community, its own traditions, and technological monitoring of production safety, and we could not, and were not obliged to yield to the U.S."
Gordeyev said it would have been hard to justify a change in Russia's position to domestic producers and consumers.
"This is why we, as previously proposed, will audit American producers in line with international regulations as coordinated with the U.S., and make conclusions on meat products' deliveries to Russia based on the audit results," he said.
Gordeyev said the issue of reducing the upper limit of state support for domestic producers, set at $9 billion, had not been addressed at the talks.
The president of Russia's Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs said Russian experts would check frozen U.S. beef and pork to resolve problems with supplies to Russia.
"The issue of frozen meat, which does not undergo sanitary checks, has dragged on for a while," Alexander Shokhin told Ekho Moskvy radio. "In my opinion, this is not a key issue. In October there will be new inspections of this meat, and it is possible that Russia will let it through."
Gordeyev also said meat imports to Russia had risen 40% from the start of the year.
"Under conditions where meat production is growing, the decline in milk production fall has halted, we foresee imports skyrocketing," the minister said.
