Korea, US fail to reach beef deal
South Korea, United States fail to reach agreement on lifting Seoul's ban on U.S. beef imports
Associated Press
April 22, 2005
The United States and South Korea have had "productive" discussions in Seoul on ending a ban on U.S. beef imports prompted by concerns over mad cow disease, the head of an American delegation said Friday.
But the statement that emerged from three days of talks that ended Thursday in Seoul was thin on specific details, with both sides agreeing that health concerns for consumers need to be eliminated if the ban is to be lifted. The ban was imposed after a 2003 outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States.
"We had a very productive, a very thorough and focused discussion," Charles Lambert, deputy under secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told reporters Friday. Lambert led the 15-member U.S. delegation to Seoul, meeting with an 11-member South Korean team led by Park Hyun-chool, director general of the Livestock Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
"We are confident that we have taken the necessary measures to assure the safety and wholesomeness of U.S. beef...to assure that U.S. beef is safe for U.S. consumers as well as consumers of our international trading partners," Lambert said.
Lambert said that Washington is looking for an expeditious resolution to the ongoing negotiations, which have been underway for 16 months. South Korea was the third largest market for U.S. beef exports in 2003, when it imported US$819 million (€623 million) worth of U.S. beef.
Lambert said there was no deadline set for the negotiations.
Representatives of South Korean civic groups will arrive in the United States in early May to visit U.S. farms, slaughter plants and feed mills. In early June, the two sides will meet for a third technical consultation meeting in the United States.
asia.news.yahoo.com
South Korea, United States fail to reach agreement on lifting Seoul's ban on U.S. beef imports
Associated Press
April 22, 2005
The United States and South Korea have had "productive" discussions in Seoul on ending a ban on U.S. beef imports prompted by concerns over mad cow disease, the head of an American delegation said Friday.
But the statement that emerged from three days of talks that ended Thursday in Seoul was thin on specific details, with both sides agreeing that health concerns for consumers need to be eliminated if the ban is to be lifted. The ban was imposed after a 2003 outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States.
"We had a very productive, a very thorough and focused discussion," Charles Lambert, deputy under secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told reporters Friday. Lambert led the 15-member U.S. delegation to Seoul, meeting with an 11-member South Korean team led by Park Hyun-chool, director general of the Livestock Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
"We are confident that we have taken the necessary measures to assure the safety and wholesomeness of U.S. beef...to assure that U.S. beef is safe for U.S. consumers as well as consumers of our international trading partners," Lambert said.
Lambert said that Washington is looking for an expeditious resolution to the ongoing negotiations, which have been underway for 16 months. South Korea was the third largest market for U.S. beef exports in 2003, when it imported US$819 million (€623 million) worth of U.S. beef.
Lambert said there was no deadline set for the negotiations.
Representatives of South Korean civic groups will arrive in the United States in early May to visit U.S. farms, slaughter plants and feed mills. In early June, the two sides will meet for a third technical consultation meeting in the United States.
asia.news.yahoo.com
