The European Union executive Wednesday voiced "profound dissatisfaction" with Russia for dragging its feet on lifting a ban slapped on EU vegetables due to Germany's killer E. coli outbreak.
Calling for the ban to be lifted "immediately," the European Commission accused Moscow of reneging on a pledge made Friday at a two-day summit by Russian President Dmitry Mededev as a quarrel unfolded over commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso's promise to deliver safety guarantees.
"The commission today expressed its profound dissatisfaction that the lifting of the import ban which was agreed between presidents Medvedev and Barroso at the summit has not yet been implemented," a spokeswoman said.
"Meanwhile, the source of the E. coli contamination has been clearly identified and eliminated from the market and this further emphasises that there is no justification" for maintaining the ban, said Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen. The EU reacted furiously to Moscow's June 2 embargo on vegetables from the 27-member union, calling it disproportionate and scientifically unjustified.
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