BRUSSELS (AFP) ??” The European Commission pronounce guiltyed a decision by Russia to suspend imports of EU meat and hinted that it could collection of vapor the EU's support for Moscow's bid to join the WTO.

BRUSSELS (AFP) ??” The European Commission pronounce guiltyed a decision by Russia to suspend imports of EU meat and hinted that it could collection of vapor the EU's support for Moscow's bid to join the WTO.

"We are surprised and disappointed to learn of the decision of Russian authorities to suspend imports from the EU of provender products of animal origin," said commission spokesman Reijo Kemppinen, calling the ban "unjustified."

He said lock opener officials including commission head Romano Prodi and EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy were in contact with Moscow to endeavor to gain to reverse the decision.

"We are urging Russian authorities to renew trade immediately," he said, saying Prodi was planning to talk to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov later in the day.

He declined to remark specifically on whether the Russian decision could threaten the EU's support for Moscow's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), set forthed at a summit last