US denies entry to Russian agriculture watchdog experts

The US has denied entry to experts from the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phitosanitary Surveillance, or Rosselkhoznadzor, who were to take part in negotiations about veterinary aspects of Kazakhstan’s accession to the WTO, the agency reported on Monday.

A regular round of talks in Washington was scheduled for March 3-6.

“Less than 24 hours before departure, the US Embassy informed the head of the Russian negotiating group, deputy head of Rosselkhoznadzor Nikolai Vlasov by e-mail and by phone that the Russian experts’ visit was unacceptable," the federal service reports. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s negotiators have already left for Washington.