ONLY QUALITY BEEF ENTERS MOSCOW








MOSCOW, March 2, 2001. /Corr. RIA Novosti Grigory Tebenikhin/.


	Vladimir Malyshkov, a member of the Moscow city government, today attempted to assure Muscovites worried by the mad cow disease epidemic that only quality beef would be allowed into the Russian capital.


	According to him, Moscow needs 550-650,000 tonnes of meat every year, but the Russian market can only provide 180-220 thousand tonnes. The capital imports the remainder. There are rigorous controls imposed on imported meat: it is checked by local specialists and Russian representatives in the importing nation and then every carcass undergoes a further examination upon arrival in Russia.


	The minister rejected reports in the local press alleging that a deal had been clinched between Moscow and Germany allowing 100,000 tonnes of Bavarian beef to be delivered to the capital. According to Malyshkov, negotiations were indeed conducted, but only a "declaration of intentions" had been signed. In relation to this, he said that "the situation with the quality of beef in Germany is one of the best."