VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #1072/01 1141043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241043Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 5476
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3040
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4745
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5303

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001072 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS, RIKER; OSTA/BEAN, 
HAXTON; ONA/TING, SALLYARDS 
PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES 
PASS APHIS SNOWDON 
STATE FOR EUR/RUS 
STATE PASS USTR FOR CHATTIN, HAFNER, MURPHY 
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ 
VIENNA PASS APHIS/MITCHELL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS
SUBJECT: TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON 3 MORE 
POULTRY PLANTS 
 
REF: A) HANSEN/DUTROW EMAIL 3/19/09 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary 
and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) 
advised via official letter that 3 more U.S. 
poultry facilities have been temporarily 
restricted from exporting to Russia due to 
concerns that products from these facilities were 
involved in an illegal smuggling attempt.  The 
letter states that Russia will consider removing 
restrictions from the facilities only after USDA 
conducts an in-depth investigation of the 
occurrence.  The original scanned copy of the 
letter and courtesy translation were sent to 
FAS/FSIS on April 22, 2009 (REF A).  An informal 
embassy translation of the letter follows. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: 
Moscow, April 22, 2009 
No. FS-NV-2/3658 
 
Assistant Administrator 
Office of International Affairs 
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 
 
Dear Dr. Jones: 
 
The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary 
Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards 
to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 
of USDA.  In response to your letter of March 30, 
2009, and in addition to our letters FS-NV-2/93 
of January 14, 2009; FS-NV-2/401 of January 26, 
2009; and FS-NV-2/2416 of March 20, 2009, I 
would like to inform of you of the following: 
 
After studying all materials submitted by FSIS, 
VPSS has made the following conclusion: 
 
In early December 2008, VPSS officials revealed 
an attempt to import products of unknown origin 
with counterfeit veterinary certificates RFA- 
035465 and RFA-035466 to the address of ZAO 
"Dalnevostochny Khladokombinat" based in 
Primorsky kray. 
 
On December 29, 2008, an electronic pre- 
notification arrived from FSIS regarding the 
shipment to the address of the above-mentioned 
company issuing veterinary certificates RFA- 
035465 and RFA-035466. 
 
To date, the original copies of the veterinary 
certificates that were indicated in the 
electronic pre-notification message have not 
arrived to the consignee. 
 
In order to undertake joint measures to prevent 
illegal activity in the international trade of 
meat products, we ask FSIS to speed up completing 
the investigation and to confirm authenticity of 
the following documents: 
 
Veterinary certificate that was sent to your 
address with letter FS-NV-2/401 of January 26, 
2009; 
 
Information that arrived via electronic pre- 
notification on December 29, 2008. 
 
We ask you also to submit the results of your 
investigation as to where the original veterinary 
certificates RFA-035465 and RFA-035466 are 
currently located that were supposedly issued by 
FSIS. 
 
Until the investigation of this case is complete, 
VPSS will impose temporary restrictions on the 
exports of products to Russia from U.S. 
establishments P-13369, P-208, P-19275 starting 
April 27, 2009.  These establishments are 
involved in the whole technological chain from 
slaughter, including cutting, to cold storage. 
 
Mr. Jones, let me assure you of my highest 
esteem. 
 
Deputy Head 
N.A. Vlasov 
END TEXT 
 
¶3. (SBU) Post recommends that FSIS conduct an in- 
depth investigation on this matter in short 
order.  VPSS officials have privately informed 
Post that they are ready to remove restrictions 
on the 3 U.S. poultry facilities in question as 
soon as a thorough investigation has been 
completed, provided no derogatory information is 
found during the FSIS investigation.  According 
to VPSS contacts, fraud and smuggling of meat and 
poultry products into Russia are growing 
problems, particularly in the Russian Far East, 
and Russian authorities are ramping up efforts to 
stop the flow of illegal meat shipments. 
 
RUBIN