June 5, 2006

EU to act as intermediary in Russia, Poland food ban row

European trade chief Peter Mandelson Friday (Jun 2) said Brussels will work to step in to resolve a festering trade dispute over Russia's ban on imports of Polish meat and other foodstuffs.

Poland has said the ban, which has been in place since late last year, is unfair retaliation for political tensions between the two countries.

"I supported Poland in its bilateral initiatives to resolve this dispute, but now I believe that a meeting in a trilateral format is necessary, involving Russia, Poland and the European Union," Mandelson told journalists at a news briefing in Warsaw.

He elaborated the European Commission has made a formal proposal for trilateral talks to the Polish and Russian governments. Brussels is still waiting for a response and hopes to start the talks "with a minimum of delay," he said.