Russia, Belarus 'milk war' ends

Deliveries would begin again on Thursday morning, Russian public health chief Gennady Onishchenko told news agency Interfax.

"We have signed an agreement which satisfies both Belarus and Russia," Onishchenko told news agency Ria Novosti.

The agreement was a result of negotiations on Wednesday in Moscow between the two sides, Belarussian television reported.

Russia announced on 6 June it was banning the import of 500 dairy products from ally and ex-Soviet neighbour Belarus.

It was a move widely seen as politically motivated amid deteriorating ties between the two countries.

Minsk branded the ban "discriminatory" and boycotted a regional security summit in Russia.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hit back, accusing Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko of becoming "hysterical" over the trade dispute.

Tensions had been rising for several months before the "milk war" broke out.

Moscow has been angered at Belarus's moves to seek closer ties with the European Union, while Lukashenko has blasted Moscow for dragging its feet on a loan to the cash-strapped country.

Source: AFP

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