Obama, Medvedev Reach Deal On U.S. Poultry Exports

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on Thursday to allow U.S. companies to restart exports of poultry to Russia as the two leaders found common ground on trade and investment.

Speaking to reporters after talks with his Russian counterpart, Obama said the United States supported Moscow's bid to join the World Trade Organization and both leaders said they hoped to have technical issues that have stymied that effort resolved by the fall.

"To deepen Russia's integration into the global economy, I reaffirmed our strong commitment to Russia's ascension to the World Trade Organization," Obama said. "Today, we've reached an agreement that will allow the United States to begin exporting our poultry products to Russia once again."

Obama is keen to bolster meager trade and investment with Russia as a way to take its relationship with Moscow to a new level after gaining Kremlin support over Afghanistan, Iran sanctions and a landmark nuclear arms reduction treaty.

Chicken became the two leaders' latest area of agreement.

Russia had been the largest overseas buyer of U.S. chicken, but banned the meat earlier this year, claiming a chlorine rinse used here violated its food safety rules.

Shares of top U.S. chicken producers Tyson Foods Inc, Pilgrim's Pride Corp and Sanderson Farms Inc turned higher after the announcement.

The Obama administration has tried to engage the Kremlin in warmer relations since taking office 18 months ago, after relations between Washington and Moscow had deteriorated, especially after Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia.

The two leaders acknowledged continued differences on the Georgia issue but found some common ground over the need to quell violence in Kyrgyzstan. Medvedev said Russia had no plans to send peace-keeping troops to the Central Asian country.

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