#1 - JRL 7169
Rosbalt
May 6, 2003
Russia to Start Importing 'Bush Legs' from Early July

MOSCOW, May 6. Russian and US Ministers for Agriculture Alexei Gordeyev and Ann Veneman signed a bilateral agreement to cooperate in the food and agriculture industry in Washington yesterday. As a Rosbalt correspondent was informed by the government press office, the two sides agreed to create a favourable investment climate in the food and agriculture industry and also agreed to collaborate more closely in agricultural research and education and to apply the achievements of science to production etc. In order to achieve their goal the two ministries intend to set up three working groups: the first will deal with agricultural policy and investment; the second will be concerned with scientific research, education and the practical application of research; the third working group will be devoted to ensuring steady agricultural growth and social development of the countryside.

During the course of their two-week long negotiations, the Russian and US ministers also reached an agreement on the poultry trade. According to Mr Gordeyev, a group of Russian veterinary specialists are currently making an inspection of all the poultry farms in the US which supply poultry to Russia. 'We expect the inspections to be completed by July 1 this year,' Mr Gordeyev said.