EU-Russia pact talks move closer as meat deal nears
19 Jan 2007 19:13:16 GMT Source: Reuters
(Recasts after Kyprianou comments) By Noah Barkin BERLIN, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A deal to end a Russian ban on Polish meat, which would open the door to talks between the EU and Moscow on a wide cooperation pact, moved a step closer on Friday after the EU gave Russia assurances it had sought. European Union President Germany, trying to help hammer out an agreement to end the year-old Russian ban on Polish meat imports, said it was optimistic a deal would come soon. Speaking to Germany's Foreign Press Association, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also said he saw early signs that Russia might be willing to consider including energy security pledges in any agreement with the EU. Russia, which has health worries about imports during transportation, has refused to lift the meat ban until it received assurances from Polish and EU health experts. European Health and Consumer Protection Commission Markos Kyprianou told reporters in Berlin he had given Russia written assurances that Poland was in compliance with EU requirements. But he said the Russians would have to study the documents and might send Russian experts to assess the situation. "It is a complex issue, it will take some time, it can't be resolved overnight." EU member Poland, which believes the Russian ban is politically motivated, is blocking the start of talks on the broader cooperation agreement with Russia. Officials from all sides have been meeting in the German capital this week and Polish Farm Minister Andrzej Lepper told reporters he too expected a meat agreement soon. Kyprianou and Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev also signed a deal on Friday which averts an EU-wide ban on animal products by Russia by giving guarantees about new entrants to the bloc Bulgaria and Romania. As EU president, Germany is responsible for getting talks on the new cooperation pact going. Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Sunday and they are expected to discuss the agreement, which would cover a range of issues from energy to trade and human rights. Berlin has called for the inclusion of wording which would contractually confirm the "durability and reliability" of Russian energy supplies to the 27-nation bloc. "Preliminary talks have already taken place and there is a readiness for this on the Russian side," Steinmeier said. Earlier this month, Russia turned off a pipeline that delivers around 10 percent of the EU's oil due to a dispute with Belarus. The pipeline was dry for just a few days, but the Russian move has deepened European distrust of Moscow. Europe relies on Russia for roughly a third of its energy needs. (Additional reporting by Catherine Hornby)
