Lean diplomacy

Early last week Russian authorities indicated that the 16-month-old Russian ban on Polish meat would be extended again to facilitate further inspections, despite the European Commission having offered Moscow extensive assurances that Polish meat-processing plants are in good order. Inspections have been periodically conducted by Russian as well as EU inspectors for several months.

At the same time as the Russian announcement was made, the Polish authorities signaled their willingness to cease blocking talks on a new partnership agreement between the EU and Russia. Poland's government originally obstructed the negotiations five months ago - much to the chagrin of European officials and annoyance of the Russians - because of the lack of resolution on the meat-ban issue. In return for cooperating on the EU-Russia partnership agreement, however, the Polish government clearly named its price.

"We will withdraw the veto when we have a guarantee that the Russian embargo will be lifted," President Lech Kaczyński stated.

The Polish position was reaffirmed by the EU. "The Commission has indeed received indications from Polish authorities that Poland is in a position to give its agreement to launching of the negotiations," Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said.

A Russian riposte followed the Polish and EU statements, however. An official for Rosselkhoznadzor, a Russian health watchdog, suggested that the lifting of the negotiations veto could not be used as leverage in the meat ban issue. "This is not a case when there can be a political trade-off because we are talking about food safety and the health of consumers," Alexei Alexeyenko, Rosselkhoznadzor's spokesperson, informed the Reuters news agency. (Reuters)