VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #1500/01 1591417
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081417Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 5492
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3705
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4756
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5324

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001500 
 
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: RUSSIA GRANTS EXTENSION ON NEGOTIATING 
NEW PORK CERTIFICATE 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:   In late January 2009, the 
Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary 
Surveillance Service (VPSS) expressed its 
concerns in both a DVC and in a letter that the 
veterinary certificate for the export of US pork 
to Russia does not adequately reflect Russian 
requirements.  VPSS set a June 1, 2009, deadline 
for renegotiating a certificate for frozen pork 
and pork by-products exported from the USA. 
However in response to appeals for an extension 
by FSIS's Ronald Jones dated May 18, 2009 and by 
Agriculture Undersecretary James Miller dated 
June 3, 2009, VPSS advised via official letter 
that the deadline for the negotiation of a new 
veterinary certificate for pork has been moved to 
August 1, 2009.  An informal embassy translation 
of the letter follows. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: 
FEDERAL SERVICE FOR VETERINARY AND PHYTOSANITARY 
SURVEILLANCE 
Orlikov per., 1/11, 
107139, Moscow 84, 
Russian Federation 
Phone: (7 499) 975-4347 
Fax: (7 495) 607-5111 
E-mail: info@svfk.mcx.ru 
http://www.fsvps.ru 
 
Moscow, June 05, 2009 
No. FS-GK-2/5463 
 
Assistant Administrator 
Office of International Affairs 
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 
Dr. Ronald K. Jones 
 
Dear Dr. Jones, 
 
The Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary 
Surveillance Service (VPSS) extends its regards 
to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), 
USDA and informs you for the following. 
 
Keeping in mind the current situation and your 
proposal placed in your letter of May 18, 2009, 
VPSS considers it possible to extend deadline for 
the negotiation of a new veterinary certificate 
for frozen pork meat and by-products exported 
from the U.S. to the Russian Federation until 
August 1, 2009. 
 
At the same time we would like to draw your 
attention that if the negotiation of the document 
is not completed before the aforementioned date, 
VPSS will be obliged to consider a question about 
imposing restrictive measures on the import of 
pork and pork by-products from the U.S. to the 
Russian Federation. 
 
Dr. Jones, let me assure you of my highest 
esteem. 
 
Deputy Head 
G.K. Kovalev 
 
¶3. Background.  In a letter of January 30, 2009, 
the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary 
Surveillance Service (VPSS) expressed its concern 
that in a DVC held on January 27, 2009, the 
"American side did not assume the obligations to 
implement the Russian veterinary-sanitary 
requirements in shipments of pork to the Russian 
Federation."  In the same letter, VPSS set a 
deadline of June 1, 2009 for a new version of the 
veterinary certificate for US pork to come into 
force.  On February 10, 2009, VPSS sent its 
 
proposed draft of the new version of a veterinary 
certificate for frozen pork meat and by-products. 
 
¶4.  On May 18, 2009, USDA/FSIS sent a letter in 
response requesting both a meeting in person with 
VPSS and an extension of the June 1, 2009, 
deadline.  Sergey Dankvert, Head of VPSS, 
complained during face-to-face meetings in Paris 
on May 28, 2009 with both US government and with 
US industry representatives that the US response 
was delayed for too long.  He maintained that 
Russian pork producers selling to the domestic 
market face more stringent requirements than do 
US exporters of pork to Russia and that this is 
not justified. 
 
¶5. Comment:  This is a long-standing irritant for 
VPSS that goes back many years.  Post recommends 
that USDA and USTR get together to discuss an 
appropriate strategy and response, well in 
advance of August 1. End Comment. 
 
BEYRLE