Moldova regrets Russia’s decision to suspend wine imports – Moldovan FM comments
September 15, 2013 | 01:07
YEREVAN. – We regret Russia’s decision to suspend imports of the
Moldavian wine, Foreign Minister of Moldova Natalia Gherman said.
`We are very sorry about it, because the relationship of trust and
mutual understanding established with Russia, allow address all the
problems, especially technical ones, in this way. Therefore, we are
ready to hold consultations at all levels concerning the complaints
about quality of our products,’ Gherman told Armenian News-NEWS.am
correspondent.
She noted that the same wine that has been banned by Russia are now
freely accepted by the EU.
Armenia is one of the few CIS states which has not experienced to full
extent the gravity of Russian `trade wars’. There is a partial ban on
fish import , as well as full ban on meat products is preserved. The
ban on meat products has been operating for ten years on the suspicion
of foot-and-mouth disease. And if the fish export promises significant
growth, the export of meat products for Armenia is extremely small.
However, fish in the total export of Armenia is not as important as
wine for Georgia, sweets and meat and dairy products for Ukraine (and
Belarus) and sprats for Latvia. All these products that have
dependence on the Russian market came under sanctions which often
coincided with the foreign policy interests. For example, one of the
previous embargo on Moldova was introduced in 2010 after Chisinau
declared June 28 the Day of Soviet occupation.
Asked whether the new ban was Moscow’s attempt to warn Chisinau
against signing the Association Agreement and DCFTA with EU, Gherman
stated that Moldovan society perceived the ban as a political
sanction.
`But at the government level, we are trying to understand the
technical side of the problem. We are trying to understand the
specific claims brought against us. We have not seen it in formal
written format yet. But we are willing to sit down at the negotiating
table, and we think that this resource is not yet exhausted. A
delegation headed by the Minister of Economy and Agriculture will
leave for Moscow next week,’ she said.
News from Armenia – NEWS.am