Poultry safe, ban should go: U.S.

Poultry safe, ban should go: U.S.

Asian nations that have banned imports of poultry from the
U.S. state of Pennsylvania due to fears of avian flu should lift
the restrictions as the virus is not harmful to humans, a U.S.
trade official said on Friday.

After China joined Japan and the Philippines in imposing the
ban, which could damage the image of the multi-million-dollar
U.S. poultry trade, the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council said
it was holding talks with Asian trade and government officials.

On the cases of "bird flu" in Hong Kong, the Council said it
hoped the outbreak would be controlled soon as the government had
adopted very strict measures.

"There is no evidence to prove that the low-pathogenic virus
found in Pennsylvania can be transmitted to humans. I don't know
why these countries have imposed the restrictions," Margaret Say,
the Council's regional director for the ASEAN (Association of
South East Asian Nations) region, told Reuters.

In addition to trade representatives, U.S. Department of
Agriculture officials have been holding discussions in Manila and
Tokyo following the bans. South Korea has tightened quarantine
checks and China banned imports from the U.S. state on Thursday.

"In the Philippines, we have urged the government to lift the
ban and we are also pushing for the same in Japan," Say said.