MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and Poland signed on Wednesday a memorandum to lift a ban on Polish meat supplies, a spokesman for Russia's agricultural watchdog said.
In November 2005 Russia imposed a ban on Polish meat imports over what it called the low quality of meat and other products imported by and via Poland.
"Rosselkhoznadzor head Sergei Dankvert and Polish veterinary chief Ewa Lech have just signed a memorandum," Alexei Alekseyenko said.
Warsaw has already pledged to lift a moratorium on a new EU-Russia cooperation pact it imposed in response to the trade restrictions, which it considered were politically motivated.
Observers said the agreement would pave the way for negotiations on a new agreement between Russia and the 27-nation bloc.
The Russian Meat Union said after Moscow lifts its embargo on Polish meat imports, Poland could supply up to 50,000 metric tons of meat in 2008.