VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #1206/01 1331211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131211Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 5487
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3232
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4753
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5313

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001206 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FAS FOR OCRA/KUYPERS, RIKER; OSTA/BEAN, 
HAMILTON, HAXTON; ONA/TING, SALLYARDS 
PASS FSIS DUTROW, HARRIES 
PASS APHIS BURLESON 
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: MEAT AND POULTRY RESTRICTIONS UPDATE 
(H1N1) 
 
REF: A) SMITH/MITCHELL EMAIL 05/12/09, B) MOSCOW 
1187, C) MOSCOW 1161, D) MOSCOW 1150 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Russian Federal Veterinary 
and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) 
advised via official letters that restrictions 
placed on meat and poultry products from 11 U.S. 
states are currently in place.  As of today, 
California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and 
Wisconsin are restricted from exporting all types 
of fresh/frozen meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat, 
horse, etc) and poultry products to Russia.  In 
addition, temporarily restricts are still in 
place on all fresh/frozen pork and pork products 
from Arizona, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, 
South Carolina and Washington. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) As of May 13, VPSS has placed 
restrictions on types of meat and poultry from 11 
U.S. states.  California, New York, Texas, 
Illinois, and Wisconsin are subject to "Zone 1" 
restrictions, meaning that they are restricted 
from exporting all types of fresh/frozen meat 
(beef, pork, lamb, goat, horse, etc) and poultry 
products to Russia as well as all processed meat 
and poultry products that have not been heat- 
treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees 
Celsius during not less then 30 minutes. 
Arizona, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, South 
Carolina and Washington are subject to "Zone 2" 
restrictions, meaning that they are restricted 
from exporting all fresh/frozen pork and pork 
products to Russia as well as all processed pork 
products that have not been heat-treated at a 
minimum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during 
not less then 30 minutes.  The original scanned 
copies of the VPSS letters imposing these 
restrictions and courtesy translations were sent 
to FAS/APHIS on May 12, 2009 (REF A).  An 
informal embassy translation of the letters 
follows. 
 
¶3. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER DATED MAY 9: 
Moscow, May 9, 2009 
FS-NV-2/4333 
 
Regional Director 
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) In the European Union 
Mr. Jay Mitchell 
 
The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary 
Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards 
to USDA/APHIS and informs you of the following. 
 
Due to the worsening epizootic/epidemiological 
situation regarding Influenza 
A/H1N1/California/04/2009 (H1N1) in the U.S. 
state of Wisconsin, VPSS has placed the state in 
Zone 1 - temporary restrictions on all types of 
fresh/frozen meat and poultry products, as well 
as on all processed meat and poultry products 
that have not been heat-treated at a minimum 
temperature of 80 degrees Celsius during not less 
then 30 minutes.  The restriction covers all 
types of meat and poultry products manufactured 
and/or packaged after May 8, 2009. 
 
Due to the improving epizootic/epidemiological 
situation regarding H1N1 in the U.S. state of 
Delaware, VPSS has moved this state to Zone 2 - 
temporary restrictions are in place on 
fresh/frozen pork and pork products, as well as 
on all processed pork and pork products that have 
not been heat-treated at a minimum temperature of 
80 degrees Celsius during not less then 30 
 
minutes.  The restriction covers all types of 
pork and pork products manufactured and/or 
packaged after May 8, 2009. 
 
Mr. Mitchell, let me assure you of my highest 
esteem. 
 
N.A. Vlasov 
Deputy Head 
END TEXT. 
 
¶4. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER DATED MAY 10: 
Moscow, May 10, 2009 
FS-NV-2/4335 
 
Regional Director 
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) In the European Union 
Mr. Jay Mitchell 
 
The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary 
Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards 
to USDA/APHIS and informs you of the following. 
 
Due to the worsening epizootic/ epidemiological 
situation regarding H1N1 in the in the U.S. 
states of Michigan and Washington, VPSS has 
placed these states in Zone 2 - temporary 
restrictions are in place on fresh/frozen pork 
and pork products, as well as on all processed 
pork and pork products that have not been heat- 
treated at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees 
Celsius during not less then 30 minutes.  The 
restriction covers all pork and pork products 
manufactured and/or packaged after May 9, 2009. 
 
Mr. Mitchell, let me assure you of my highest 
esteem. 
 
N.A. Vlasov 
Deputy Head 
END TEXT. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Russian Chief Veterinary Officer Nikolay 
Vlasov has been in contact with the agriculture 
office at Post on a daily basis with requests for 
updates on the number of H1N1 cases being 
confirmed in the United States and for results of 
any research that USDA is undertaking on whether 
the virus can spread from pig to pig or from pig 
to human.  Vlasov has stated that he checks the 
CDC H1N1 website every day and reads news reports 
on the internet and other media outlets.  It is 
clear that Vlasov is basing his decisions on 
whether or not to place temporary restrictions on 
meat and poultry on U.S. states solely on the 
number of human cases being confirmed on the CDC 
website. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Post has stressed on numerous occasions 
to VPSS officials that the WHO, FAO, Codex 
Alimentarius Commission and the OIE have jointly 
stated that pork and pork products, handled in 
accordance with good hygienic practices, are not 
a source of infection.  Since there is no 
evidence that the virus is transmitted by food, 
Russia's restrictions on meat and poultry 
products are not recommended by the OIE 
Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Code.  Vlasov 
is Russia's representative on the OIE and is well 
aware of these facts. Nevertheless, his ability 
lift restrictions appear to be hindered by 
Kremlin officials who prefer to ignore science in 
order to "play it safe".  As a result, it is 
unlikely that VPSS will be authorized to lift 
restrictions on U.S. meat and poultry products 
until the number of confirmed human cases of H1N1 
in the United States begins to stabilize (REF C). 
 
RUBIN