August 15 2002, 10:47

Rumania proposed Moldova to hold bilateral talks on livestock trade issues

Bucharest has proposed Chisinau to hold in September 2002 bilateral talks on the issue of livestock products imports from Moldova. According to Moldovan Minister of Economy Marian Lupu, Moldovan party is to settle the date of negotiations and submit the list of priority issues to put on the agenda.

Moldovan authorities have complained of Rumanian ban on import of Moldovan livestock products, reasoned by the alleged Moldovan non-execution of European sanitary norms. Chisinau believes Bucharest has been applying much stricter sanitary requirements to Moldovan animal producers than to its domestic ones, which contradicts to WTO main principle of equal market access opportunities for both local producers and importers.

"I wonder how successful these talks will be for Moldova, but the fact that the proposal originates from Bucharest speaks about its readiness to settle the argument," Mr. Lupu said.