No Scientific Basis for Japan's Beef Curbs: Canadian Min.

Toronto, May 19 (Jiji Press)--"There is no scientific basis" for Japan's curbs on beef imports from Canada that have been in place on concerns over mad cow disease, Canadian International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan said Wednesday.

Stressing that the safety of Canadian beef has been certified by an
international agricultural quarantine organization, Van Loan said in an
interview with Jiji Press that many countries have reopened their markets to
Canadian beef.
"I think this should happen to Japan," he said.
Currently, Japan limits beef imports from the United States and
Canada to meat taken from cattle aged up to 20 months, believed to be at low
risk of being infected with mad cow disease, formally called bovine
spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.
Van Loan sounded cautious about bringing the beef trade dispute
with Japan to the World Trade Organization at least for the time being.
As for the stalled WTO-sponsored Doha Round of global trade
liberalization talks, Van Loan expressed hopes to see progress, saying, "We
think that kind of global comprehensive approach would be a good one."
But the minister added, "We are also realistic in Canada." He
indicated Canada's stance of steeping up efforts to conclude bilateral free
trade agreements with the European Union and other economies.
The previous Canadian government "put all the eggs in Doha basket"
and Canada was "left behind other countries" in concluding FTAs, Van Loan
said.