Posted on 10/17/2001 10:07:45 AM PDT by flamefront
Russia's decision to suspend imports of animal products from Florida in the wake of the anthrax scare was greeted with surprise Wednesday by experts amid fears the move would only add to worldwide hysteria about bioterrorism.
The Russian agriculture ministry said it would not lift the ban, imposed Tuesday, until the United States fully discloses the scale and sources of the anthrax outbreak.
"This ban will cover all animal products until the circumstances and sources of the anthrax contamination are clarified," an official in the ministry's veterinary service told AFP.
"Up to now we have only had information from the media, we want to get all the details from the US government itself," the official added, on condition of anonymity.
But experts questioned the wisdom of the import ban on the grounds that it jarred with statements earlier in the week by Russian Health Minister Yury Shevchenko that public hysteria over anthrax was more dangerous than the disease itself.
Four people have been diagnosed with anthrax in the United States, including one who died in Florida, and others have tested positive for exposure to the bacteria.
At least 20 people were exposed to anthrax from a letter containing white powder that was addressed to US Senator Tom Daschle, the majority leader, and tested positive for the killer bacteria, CNN reported Wednesday.
The US embassy in Russia said it was still "researching" reports of the Russian import ban and declined to comment on Moscow's unilateral measure.
Russia is the only country to have slapped an import ban on US products in the wake of the suspected bio-terror attacks.
"The Russian reaction is extremely strong and difficult to understand," one Western agricultural expert told AFP, adding that when it came to epidemic scares, "the Russian authorities often act first and ask questions later."
Some analysts hinted that Russia could have ulterior motives in slapping the ban on imports from Florida, and might be seeking to exploit the US anthrax scare for trade reasons.
"It would not be the first time health barriers have been erected for commercial reasons," said one European expert, who asked to remain anonymous.
In Russia all livestock are vaccinated against anthrax, but outbreaks of the diseases occur sometimes.
Thirty-six people in Russia's eastern Tuva republic have undergone tests in hospital after coming into contact with animals suffering from anthrax, the Russian press reported this week.
Isolated cases of anthrax have been registered in Russia over the years but the Izvestiya newspaper said that no such cases had been seen in humans in Tuva since 1987.
The US ambassador to Russia, Alexander Vershbow, welcomed Wednesday a Russian offer to share its expertise and anthrax vaccines with the United States, but he made no reference to the import ban.
"I think we certainly very much welcome the spirit behind that offer, the spirit of solidarity -- and if the problem in the United States continues I wouldn't exclude that we would be seeking assistance from our Russian friends," Vershbow told reporters.
US officials have admitted the possibility that the United States might be facing a bio-terrorist onslaught, as several cases of anthrax exposure have been detected.
To find all articles tagged or indexed using
Anthrax_Scare_List
Go here:
and then click the Anthrax_Scare_List topic to initiate the search! !
I can see it -- we have just scrubbed every last orange, can we ship them now?
---> Prove your shipped goods are spore-free, please.
Yikes.
Yes, of course. Now what in practice does anyone do with the entire world of trade, not just from Florida, but New York, Washington, etc.? Scrub every orange? Burn all the mad-cows? Freeze all trade? Immense consequences quickly emerge.
I am not advocating any sides position here. I only ask all to look at the imminent, huge, worldwide consequenses.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.