Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MOSCOW669
2009-03-19 08:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Moscow
Cable title:
RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0009 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHMO #0669/01 0780840 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 190840Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW TO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 5462 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2442 INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4722 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5285
UNCLAS MOSCOW 000669
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS; OSTA/BEAN, HAXTON;
ONA/TING, SALLYARDS
PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES
PASS APHIS SNOWDON
STATE FOR EUR/RUS
STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, HAFNER, S MURPHY
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ
VIENNA PASS APHIS/MITCHELL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER
PORK FACILITY
REF: A) HANSEN/DUTROW EMAIL 3/13/09, REF B)
MOSCOW 08 3683, REF C) MOSCOW 08 207, REF D)
MOSCOW 08 3368, REF E) MOSCOW 08 3181
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLAS MOSCOW 000669
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS; OSTA/BEAN, HAXTON;
ONA/TING, SALLYARDS
PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES
PASS APHIS SNOWDON
STATE FOR EUR/RUS
STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, HAFNER, S MURPHY
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ
VIENNA PASS APHIS/MITCHELL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER
PORK FACILITY
REF: A) HANSEN/DUTROW EMAIL 3/13/09, REF B)
MOSCOW 08 3683, REF C) MOSCOW 08 207, REF D)
MOSCOW 08 3368, REF E) MOSCOW 08 3181
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary
and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS)
advised via official letter that another U.S.
pork facility was delisted after tests results
ostensibly showed the presence of food-borne
pathogen Salmonella. The original scanned copy
of the letter and courtesy translation were sent
to FAS/FSIS on March 13, 2009 (REF A). An
informal embassy translation of the letter
follows. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT:
Moscow, March 03, 2009
No. FS-NV-2/1720
Assistant Administrator
Office of International Affairs
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Dear Dr. Ronald Jones:
The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary
Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards
to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) and informs you of the following:
During routine tests for residues of harmful and
prohibited substances, Salmonella was detected in
the shipment of boneless pork exported from the
United States to Russia (Protocols #435/B-299 of
February 03, 2009; #435/B-659 of February 18,
2009),which is a violation of the requirements
of the negotiated veterinary certificate for
frozen pork meat and by-products exported to
Russia for processing or retail sale.
The product originated from U.S. establishment
360 (veterinary certificate #RFP-105950 of
December 11, 2008).
In this connection, VPSS informs you that
temporary restrictions are imposed on the exports
of products from the above-mentioned U.S.
establishment to Russia starting March 16, 2009.
VPSS requests that you conduct an investigation
to discover how the contamination of pathogenic
microorganisms occurred in the pork shipment to
Russia. VPSS asks you to take urgent measures to
prevent shipments of meat products from being
sent to Russia that do not comply with Russian
veterinary requirements and the negotiated
veterinary certificate.
Once the investigation has been completed, please
inform VPSS with the results and the preventative
measures FSIS will take to stop occurrences such
as this one from happening again.
Dr. Jones, let me assure you of my highest
esteem.
Attachment: On 3 pages (not included in this
cable).
Deputy Head
N.A. Vlasov
END TEXT.
3. (SBU) VPSS has stepped up attacks on U.S. pork
imports over the last six months through multiple
plant delists because of clerical errors on
accompanying documentation (REF C) or the
detection of antibiotic residues (REF D). Last
fall, VPSS audited 39 pork plants resulting in
the delisting of 19 plants for having ?too many
deficiencies? (REF B). In addition, VPSS
informed Post in late October 2008 that it had
unilaterally withdrawn from the side letter
agreement on plant inspections signed as part of
the U.S.-Russia WTO market access agreement in
November 2006 (REF E). Since then, VPSS has
refused to relist dozens of U.S. meat and poultry
plants requested by FSIS under the terms of the
agreement.
4. (SBU) SBU) COMMENT: Post encourages USTR and
USDA to seek higher-level intervention in Geneva
during upcoming WTO accession SPS meetings to
prod Russia into accepting international
scientific standards as called for by
international governing bodies such as the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and Codex
Alimentarius. Russia's current zero-tolerance
level for food pathogens, like Salmonella, has no
scientific basis and is unrealistically strict
when dealing with animal carcasses. A country in
the end-game of WTO accession should not be
permitted to block trade by flouting the basic
principles of the WTO SPS Agreement. END COMMENT.
BEYRLE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS; OSTA/BEAN, HAXTON;
ONA/TING, SALLYARDS
PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES
PASS APHIS SNOWDON
STATE FOR EUR/RUS
STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, HAFNER, S MURPHY
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ
VIENNA PASS APHIS/MITCHELL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN VET SERVICE DELISTS ANOTHER
PORK FACILITY
REF: A) HANSEN/DUTROW EMAIL 3/13/09, REF B)
MOSCOW 08 3683, REF C) MOSCOW 08 207, REF D)
MOSCOW 08 3368, REF E) MOSCOW 08 3181
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary
and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS)
advised via official letter that another U.S.
pork facility was delisted after tests results
ostensibly showed the presence of food-borne
pathogen Salmonella. The original scanned copy
of the letter and courtesy translation were sent
to FAS/FSIS on March 13, 2009 (REF A). An
informal embassy translation of the letter
follows. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT:
Moscow, March 03, 2009
No. FS-NV-2/1720
Assistant Administrator
Office of International Affairs
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Dear Dr. Ronald Jones:
The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary
Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards
to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) and informs you of the following:
During routine tests for residues of harmful and
prohibited substances, Salmonella was detected in
the shipment of boneless pork exported from the
United States to Russia (Protocols #435/B-299 of
February 03, 2009; #435/B-659 of February 18,
2009),which is a violation of the requirements
of the negotiated veterinary certificate for
frozen pork meat and by-products exported to
Russia for processing or retail sale.
The product originated from U.S. establishment
360 (veterinary certificate #RFP-105950 of
December 11, 2008).
In this connection, VPSS informs you that
temporary restrictions are imposed on the exports
of products from the above-mentioned U.S.
establishment to Russia starting March 16, 2009.
VPSS requests that you conduct an investigation
to discover how the contamination of pathogenic
microorganisms occurred in the pork shipment to
Russia. VPSS asks you to take urgent measures to
prevent shipments of meat products from being
sent to Russia that do not comply with Russian
veterinary requirements and the negotiated
veterinary certificate.
Once the investigation has been completed, please
inform VPSS with the results and the preventative
measures FSIS will take to stop occurrences such
as this one from happening again.
Dr. Jones, let me assure you of my highest
esteem.
Attachment: On 3 pages (not included in this
cable).
Deputy Head
N.A. Vlasov
END TEXT.
3. (SBU) VPSS has stepped up attacks on U.S. pork
imports over the last six months through multiple
plant delists because of clerical errors on
accompanying documentation (REF C) or the
detection of antibiotic residues (REF D). Last
fall, VPSS audited 39 pork plants resulting in
the delisting of 19 plants for having ?too many
deficiencies? (REF B). In addition, VPSS
informed Post in late October 2008 that it had
unilaterally withdrawn from the side letter
agreement on plant inspections signed as part of
the U.S.-Russia WTO market access agreement in
November 2006 (REF E). Since then, VPSS has
refused to relist dozens of U.S. meat and poultry
plants requested by FSIS under the terms of the
agreement.
4. (SBU) SBU) COMMENT: Post encourages USTR and
USDA to seek higher-level intervention in Geneva
during upcoming WTO accession SPS meetings to
prod Russia into accepting international
scientific standards as called for by
international governing bodies such as the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and Codex
Alimentarius. Russia's current zero-tolerance
level for food pathogens, like Salmonella, has no
scientific basis and is unrealistically strict
when dealing with animal carcasses. A country in
the end-game of WTO accession should not be
permitted to block trade by flouting the basic
principles of the WTO SPS Agreement. END COMMENT.
BEYRLE