Wheat contamination claims rejected
April 16, 2005
AUSTRALIA'S wheat exporter today rejected suggestions it had sent contaminated wheat to Iraq amid claims talks over a major contract had been suspended.AWB Ltd said wheat it had sent to Iraq as part of a one million tonne contract was high quality and unblemished, with tests this week confirming it free of iron.
It follows claims by the director-general of the Iraqi Grain Board, Khalil Assi, who this week said AWB had agreed some of the wheat had been contaminated with iron during transit.
Mr Assi, on a tour through the United States, has now claimed Iraq had suspended talks with Australia for a 500,000 tonne contract because of concerns over future contamination.
Earlier this week Mr Assi said the one million contract had been stopped.
Two ships are due to dock at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr in the next 48 hours with the remaining part of the one million contract which has already been paid for.
A spokesman for AWB said there appeared to be different messages coming from Mr Assi and out of Iraq on the status of the company's various contracts.
"There seems to be some confusion coming out of Iraq because we believed there would be no new contracts until the new government was in place," he said.
The new government is not expected to take office formally for at least three weeks.
The spokesman said tests on the wheat, conducted in Australia in recent days, had shown it was completely clear of any problems.
"We reject any allegation of contamination," he said.
"The wheat was free of contaminants and of a very high quality when it left Australia."
The wheat was tested by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service before it was sent to Iraq. Those tests found the wheat clear of any problems.
The spokesman said the company was keen to hold further talks with the Iraq trade
department and the grain board to clarify several issues raised by Mr Assi in recent days.
"We will discuss this issue with the customer to find a solution," he said.
Hhhhmmmmm
Now I wonder what kind of wheelin and dealing is going on here,
I will have to keep this covered, I will definitely have to keep my eye on this
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12874014-29277,00.html
April 16, 2005
AUSTRALIA'S wheat exporter today rejected suggestions it had sent contaminated wheat to Iraq amid claims talks over a major contract had been suspended.AWB Ltd said wheat it had sent to Iraq as part of a one million tonne contract was high quality and unblemished, with tests this week confirming it free of iron.
It follows claims by the director-general of the Iraqi Grain Board, Khalil Assi, who this week said AWB had agreed some of the wheat had been contaminated with iron during transit.
Mr Assi, on a tour through the United States, has now claimed Iraq had suspended talks with Australia for a 500,000 tonne contract because of concerns over future contamination.
Earlier this week Mr Assi said the one million contract had been stopped.
Two ships are due to dock at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr in the next 48 hours with the remaining part of the one million contract which has already been paid for.
A spokesman for AWB said there appeared to be different messages coming from Mr Assi and out of Iraq on the status of the company's various contracts.
"There seems to be some confusion coming out of Iraq because we believed there would be no new contracts until the new government was in place," he said.
The new government is not expected to take office formally for at least three weeks.
The spokesman said tests on the wheat, conducted in Australia in recent days, had shown it was completely clear of any problems.
"We reject any allegation of contamination," he said.
"The wheat was free of contaminants and of a very high quality when it left Australia."
The wheat was tested by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service before it was sent to Iraq. Those tests found the wheat clear of any problems.
The spokesman said the company was keen to hold further talks with the Iraq trade
department and the grain board to clarify several issues raised by Mr Assi in recent days.
"We will discuss this issue with the customer to find a solution," he said.
Hhhhmmmmm
Now I wonder what kind of wheelin and dealing is going on here,
I will have to keep this covered, I will definitely have to keep my eye on this
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12874014-29277,00.html
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 8:19 PM
1 Comments:
Are they sending them that genetically engineered frankenstien wheat?
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