(Recasts to reflect June 1 date sourced to press reports.) WASHINGTON, May 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Trade Representative's office is hopeful about reports Russia could end bans on pork as early as June 1, a spokeswoman said on Thursday, noting USTR Ron Kirk has talked to officials about the bans. In the wake of a global scare about a new flu strain, Russia, the fourth-largest export market for U.S. pork, has banned all meat from five U.S. states and banned raw pork from a few others. [ID:nL7583783] "Russia has indicated that its bans may be lifted as early as June 1," said Nefeterius McPherson, a spokeswoman for the USTR, in a statement. Press reports from Moscow indicate the Russian government's pork import restrictions will last until June 1, McPherson said. In late April, the Russian government said it would retain its bans until June 1, but did not provide more details. [ID:nLT884121] "Assuming these reports are correct -- and we certainly hope they are -- it is likely to take some days before the Russian government outlines steps it might take," she said, noting there were no further details. Health officials have said the virus, originally termed swine flu, cannot be contracted by eating pork, and world trade officials have called the bans unjustified. The United States, Canada and Mexico have said they will fight bans on pork, which they called unscientific. [ID:nN07361398] (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by David Gregorio)
Students wearing surgical masks talk outside a classroom at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) after it was reopened, in Mexico City May 7, 2009. Millions of high school and ...
