THE value of Irish exports to Russia for 1996 will not diminish despite the banning of exports from Cork, Tipperary and Monaghan, the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs said after a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, in Moscow.
The question of exports from the three counties continued to be under review and this was "primarily and strictly a veterinary matter to be discussed by the veterinary authorities", Mr Spring said.
The safety of Irish beef had been praised by the veterinary section of the Russian Agriculture Ministry on Russian television and this was appreciated by the Inch side.
Mr Spring, accompanied by the Irish Ambassador, Mr Ronan Murphy, and the head of the political section of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Richard Townsend, met Mr Primakov on bilateral issues before his talks as head of the EU troika.
Mr Spring said he briefed the Russian side on the background and quality of Irish beef as well as the "determination by the Government to maintain high quality beef".
Mr Primakov had, he said, assured him that the financial value of Irish beef exports to Russia ford 1996 would remain constant.
As far as the three counties to which the moratorium on exports applied, this was a matter for the veterinary authorities of the two countries.
Mr Spring who, on behalf of the EU, expressed satisfaction at the rate of recovery of President Yeltsin from his quintuple bypass operation, said Russo Irish relations were very good and would continue to be so. Mr Primakov had expressed an interest in coming to Ireland, an invitation had been issued and the visit was likely early next year.
The "troika", consisting of Mr Spring and his Italian and Dutch counterparts, Mr Lamberto Dini and Mr Hans van Mierlo, accompanied by the EU Commissioner responsible for relations with the CIS, Mr Hans van den Broek, discussed a wide range of issues with Mr Primakov.
Talks on the new "architecture" for European security in advance of next month's summit of the Organisation for Security and Co operation in Europe (OSCE) in Lisbon did not include the issue of NATO's eastward enlargement.
But Mr Primakov, who is strongly opposed to the expansion of NATO towards Russia, made a veiled reference to what Russia considers as NATO's Cold War stance.
The OSCE was, he said, an organisation which had the potential to adapt to the modern situation.
