US embassy cable - 05VILNIUS1284

UNCLAS VILNIUS 001284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB 
DEPT OF AGRICULTURE FOR DLP, ITP, ICD 
WARSAW FOR FCS AND FAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, EAGR, LH, HT35 
SUBJECT:  LITHUANIA HAS NO AI-RELATED IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ON 
U.S. POULTRY IMPORTS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 216147 
 
1. The Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS) 
told us that Lithuania has no AI-related ban on the import 
of U.S. poultry products.  Lithuania does, however, maintain 
a ban on imports of U.S. poultry due to an ongoing dispute 
between the United States and EU over anti-microbial 
treatment in poultry processing.  Lithuania continues to 
allow U.S. poultry to transit Lithuania en route to other 
markets. 
 
2. The SFVS told us that it has observed no significant 
changes in the demand, supply, or price for poultry products 
in the local market due to avian influenza (AI) concerns. 
SFVS said, however, that Lithuania's largest poultry 
facility reported that it is increasing production in 
anticipation of increased demand for local -- i.e., AI-free 
-- poultry products.  In contrast, the local press reported 
last month that concerns over AI could reduce Lithuanians' 
consumption of poultry products by ten percent.  The SFVS 
told us that it has no evidence of any such decrease. 
 
3. Lithuania currently bans imports of all poultry products 
from the following countries that have reported having 
notifiable strains of AI (NAI): 
 
Cambodia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
China, including Hong Kong (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Indonesia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Kazakhstan (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Laos (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Malaysia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Mongolia (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
North Korea (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Pakistan (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Thailand (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Vietnam (effective from Feb. 6, 2004) 
Romania (effective from Oct. 13, 2005) 
Turkey (effective from Oct. 10, 2005) 
Croatia (effective from Oct. 24, 2005) 
Ukraine (effective from Dec. 6, 2005) 
 
The SFVS told us that Lithuania follows the decisions of the 
European Commission (EC) in establishing these bans, which 
the EC reviews on a monthly basis. 
 
COMMENT 
 
4. The GOL monitors and evaluates the AI threat 
continuously.  It will alter its policies as its assessment 
of the threat and the EC's recommendations continue to 
evolve. 
 
MULL