WARSAW, Poland, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Poland and Russia signed a memorandum lifting Moscow's ban on imports of Polish meat, a move expected to improve ties between the two countries.
Veterinary officials Ewa Lech of Poland and Sergei Dankwert of Russia signed the document Wednesday in Kaliningrad, in Russia's Baltic Sea region east of the Polish port of Gdansk, Radio Polonia said.
The agreement ending a 2-year embargo on meat trade and should advance both Russian-EU and Polish-Russian relations.
A Russian official has said the agreement may open the way for EU-Russian talks on a new partnership and cooperation deal, the radio said.
Late in 2005, relations between Poland and Russia became tense when Moscow claimed Polish meat was unsanitary and banned its import.
In late 2006, in what was seen as retaliation, Poland blocked Russian-EU talks on a new cooperation agreement.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who took office in mid-November, announced he would reverse the decision taken by the previous government on blocking EU-Russian talks.
