2009 Russian ban of Belarusian dairy products
Encyclopedia
During a visit of President Putin
to the Belarus capital Minsk, Russia expressed interest in the privatisation of some of Belarus's major milk producers. The response to this by the Belarusian government was to start talks with the European Union
on certification of Belarusian milk standards according to EU norms.
The reaction of Russia was to send along its health inspectors, headed by Gennady Onishchenko, head of Russia’s public health and consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor that previously banned the import from several food products of Polish
, Moldovan
, Latvian
and Georgian
origin. He advised Moscow to ban all imports of Belarusian dairy products, claiming they fell short in properly certification, and Russian media then spread the rumour that Belarusian dairy products could be "hazardous for health". The Russia
n authorities banned Belarus
ian milk and dairy imports and sales on June 6, 2009. Milk and dairy products are important export for Belarus’ agricultural sector, which employs one out of 10 people in the nation of 10 million. The dispute is popularly referred to as milk war by press. .
claimed that Russia made a $500 million loan contingent on its recognition of independence of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia
from Georgia
. According to Reuters
, the relations between Belarus and Russia have been at low since 2007, with Minsk
being upset at rising prices for Russian gas and Moscow
by Lukashenko's rapprochement with the European Union
.
Russia has in the past banned meat products from Poland
, wine from Moldova
, canned fish from Latvia
and most agricultural products
from Georgia
when political tensions with these countries were high.
". The Belarus Foreign Ministry said the ban was “discriminatory trade restrictions violating international agreements”.
Lukashenko and his delegation refused to travel to Moscow for the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation
(CSTO) of seven ex-Soviet states at which a plan for a joint rapid-reaction force was approved on April 14, 2009. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
described the Russian ban as purely economic problem, criticizing Lukashenko for linking it with "issues of military and political security that answer to the interest of all CSTO members”.
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
to the Belarus capital Minsk, Russia expressed interest in the privatisation of some of Belarus's major milk producers. The response to this by the Belarusian government was to start talks with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
on certification of Belarusian milk standards according to EU norms.
The reaction of Russia was to send along its health inspectors, headed by Gennady Onishchenko, head of Russia’s public health and consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor that previously banned the import from several food products of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Moldovan
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, Latvian
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
origin. He advised Moscow to ban all imports of Belarusian dairy products, claiming they fell short in properly certification, and Russian media then spread the rumour that Belarusian dairy products could be "hazardous for health". The Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n authorities banned Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian milk and dairy imports and sales on June 6, 2009. Milk and dairy products are important export for Belarus’ agricultural sector, which employs one out of 10 people in the nation of 10 million. The dispute is popularly referred to as milk war by press. .
Background
These developments deepened a politically-charged dispute between the two ex-Soviet neighbors which are linked through a special treaty of alliance. Onishchenko's announcement came a day after Belarusian President Alexander LukashenkoAlexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
claimed that Russia made a $500 million loan contingent on its recognition of independence of Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
and South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
from Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. According to Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, the relations between Belarus and Russia have been at low since 2007, with Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
being upset at rising prices for Russian gas and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
by Lukashenko's rapprochement with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Russia has in the past banned meat products from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, wine from Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, canned fish from Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and most agricultural products
2006 Russian ban of Moldovan and Georgian wines
The 2006 Russian import ban of Moldovan and Georgian wines began in late March 2006 and created a diplomatic conflict between the Republic of Moldova and Georgia on the one hand and Russia on the other...
from Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
when political tensions with these countries were high.
Belarus’ response
In response Lukashenko accused Russia of trying to take control of Belarus’ industries and destroy its sovereignty, adding that a long-discussed confederation of Russia and Belarus would create "another ChechnyaChechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
". The Belarus Foreign Ministry said the ban was “discriminatory trade restrictions violating international agreements”.
Lukashenko and his delegation refused to travel to Moscow for the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation
Collective Security Treaty Organisation
The Collective Security Treaty Organization is an intergovernmental military alliance which was signed on 15 May 1992. On 7 October 2002, the Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a charter in Tashkent founding the CSTO.Nikolai Bordyuzha was appointed...
(CSTO) of seven ex-Soviet states at which a plan for a joint rapid-reaction force was approved on April 14, 2009. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov
Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov is the Foreign Minister of Russia. Prior to that, Lavrov was a Soviet diplomat and Russia's ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004. Lavrov speaks Russian, English, French and Sinhala....
described the Russian ban as purely economic problem, criticizing Lukashenko for linking it with "issues of military and political security that answer to the interest of all CSTO members”.