VZCZCXYZ0009
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 
 
¶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