Tartus Port officials refuse to unload 21 tons of wheat from France, claiming that the grain is infected with high concentration of dangerous fungus. President Sarkozy asks Assad in letter to take action to release container
Doron Peskin, 08.03.09, Ynet

Syrian-French relations barely managed to recover from the crisis in their relations following the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005 when they again stumble upon an impasse. This time, the strain reached the highest levels of state over a trade disagreement.
 
It all started two months ago when a ship sailing under a Panamanian flag reached Syria's Tartus Port carrying a container of more than 21,000 tons of wheat from France. The container was part of a trade agreement signed between Syria and France that Syria would purchase 150,000 tons of wheat from France.
 
However, ever since the ship docked at Tartus Port, the port authorities have refused to unload the goods, claiming that the wheat does not pass international standards. Sami Mia, head of the grain and seeds division at Tartus, was quoted as saying that tests of the grain revealed that it has a higher concentration of a dangerous fungus than permitted under international standards.
 
"Following the lab results of the Agriculture Ministry, we are currently awaiting instruction from the authorized institutions whether to unload the container or to turn it back," said Mia.
 
The Syria recalcitrance has angered the French. President Nicolas Sarkozy decided to step in personally in the affair and sent a letter to his Syrian counterpart President Bashar Assad a few days ago asking him to take action to release the grain shipment, emphasizing that the French grain complies with all international standards. Sarkozy issued a veiled threat in his letter, saying that if a speedy solution is not found, "the issue is likely to damage future trade relations between the countries."
 
The French claim that the shipment was tested twice by Syrian experts before leaving French shores.
 
According to sources involved in the affair, the ship left France on June 4 and arrived at the Syrian port four days later. The Syrians agreed to pay 180 euro (about $255) per ton of wheat. The French suspect that the Syrians are trying to avoid paying for the shipment.
 
Syria issued tenders for wheat imports last year for the first time in 15 years because of declines in their local grain harvest.
 
Doron Peskin is head of research at Info-Prod Research (Middle East) Ltd.

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