Four nations lift temporary bans on pork import from Mexico

Source: Xinhua | 05-13-2009 14:05

MEXICO CITY, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and Honduras have lifted temporary restrictions on pork imports from Mexico, the Economy Ministry said Tuesday.

The four countries responded positively to the ministry's request to lift their bans, imposed after the A/H1N1 flu broke out in Mexico late last month, the ministry said in a statement.

Mexico's Economy Minister Gerardo Ruiz Mateos had sent letters to his counterparts in the four nations, demanding they clarify the nature and scope of the import bans and saying they broke international treaties by imposing such bans.

The ministry said that it would use all means of persuasion at its disposal in an efforts remove the bans.

In the statement, the ministry also said it would continue its efforts to ensure no new unjust measures were imposed.

The Mexican government on Tuesday raised the death toll from influenza A/H1N1 to 58, with two new reported deaths, and raised the number of confirmed cases of the novel flu to 2,282, up from 2,059 on Monday.

Editor:Zhang Yun