Reply #22: Russian "nyet" to US beef, pork meant no WTO deal

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://money.excite.com/ht/nw/bus/20060715/hle_bus-n15207370.html



Russian "nyet" to US beef, pork meant no WTO deal

Saturday July 15, 1:55 PM EDT

By Tom Doggett

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - A dispute over access for U.S. meat to the Russian market helped frustrate U.S.-Russian talks on a deal for Russia to join the World Trade Organization, America's top trade negotiator said on Saturday.

After intense, late-night negotiations this week, U.S. and Russian officials failed to reach a trade deal in time for the Group of Eight summit this weekend in St. Petersburg, where Russia had hoped to sign a trade accord with the United States.

But officials on both sides said they hoped a deal could be struck in the next few months.

While progress was made on several problems like industrial tariffs and intellectual property rights, a major dispute centered on getting certain U.S. meat exports to Russia, Trade Representative Susan Schwab said.

"It is access provided by the Russians to imports -- their imports of beef and pork" that was a major holdup to a deal, Schwab told reporters at the G8 summit. She said Russia has problems with U.S. regulations on food safety and the health of America's beef and pork.

Other broader market access issues involving poultry and a couple of other agricultural products also had to be resolved, Schwab said.