RUSSIA: E.coli spat set to overshadow Russia-EU summit as the ban on vegetable imports sours atmosphere before meeting

Record ID: 560190

  • Title: RUSSIA: E.coli spat set to overshadow Russia-EU summit as the ban on vegetable imports sours atmosphere before meeting
  • Date: 10th June 2011
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 9, 2011) (REUTERS) STREET STALL WITH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES FOR SALE VARIOUS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES ON SALE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) YEVGENIA SAYING : " I don't think it (the ban) is going to have a big effect on our health, but it will mean growth for the Russian economy." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ANTON SAYING : " I think it (the ban) is stupid, because if the vegetables are bad then the whole of Europe would already have died - it's only a few people who have been infected and got sick - more people caught the flu when it was around." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SERGEI SAYING : " I think it's the right thing to do. We need to produce our own - our own produce is better". TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS ON SALE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STALL BUYERS AT FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STALL
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: International Relations,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA2RCBFUNGYN8RZOHD4MIOKHSMB
  • Story Text: Russian and European Union leaders hold a summit on Thursday (June 9) that is likely to be dominated by a dispute over Moscow's ban on EU vegetable imports, denting hopes of progress on other divisive issues.
    The two-day meeting in Nizhny Novgorod, 400 km (250 miles) east of Moscow, is intended to keep up the momentum in Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation this year, help boost trade and increase cooperation on oil and gas.
    But angry exchanges over Moscow's ban, announced last week to prevent the spread of the E.coli outbreak that has killed 24 people in Europe, have soured the atmosphere before President Dmitry Medvedev meets European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU President Herman Van Rompuy.
    Moscow shoppers were divided on the ban.
    " I don't think it (the ban) is going to have a big effect on our health, but it will mean growth for the Russian economy," said Yevgenia, shopping in the centre of the Russian capital.
    Anton echoed her scepticism, suggesting the blanket restrictions were an excessive reaction on the part of the Russian authorities.
    " I think it (the ban) is stupid, because if the vegetables are bad then the whole of Europe would already have died - it's only a few people who have been infected and got sick - more people caught the flu when it was around," said Anton.
    But pensioner Sergei agreed with the government policy.
    " I think it's the right thing to do. We need to produce our own - our own produce is better", he said.
    Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said Russia will lift the ban only if the EU provides details of the source of the E.coli outbreak.
    Political analysts said they expected the spat to overshadow other issues at the summit but the agenda had been thin anyway.
    Issues to be discussed in Nizhny Novgorod, a city of 1.25 million, include a new agreement intended to lay the basis for cooperation in trade and energy and investment, and prospects for visa-free travel.
    Russia's bid to join the WTO is also on the agenda although no one expects talks to be ended yet. The main outstanding issues between the two sides are limits on imports of EU farm goods and restrictions on investment in the automobile sector.
    On human rights, Brussels will raise the "climate of impunity" in the North Caucasus where Russian forces regularly kill separatists in clashes, a European diplomat said.
    The two sides will also discuss the Syria crisis. Russia has made clear it does want the United Nations to resort to the use of force, as it did in Libya.
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