Day 066 - 14 Dec 94 - Page 33


     
     1   Q.   My next question is what can be done about it, so far as
     2        McDonald's are concerned?
     3        A.  OK.  We have to recognise that the beef industry in
     4        Russia is not as developed as most countries in the world.
     5        We have spent a numbers of years working with them so that
     6        they understand simple things like just quality or hygiene
     7        conditions, what does it mean, what are the advantages?
     8
     9        We are currently using a very small amount of Russian meat,
    10        most of it comes from Europe, but we have made a commitment
    11        to Russia that we will develop the industry to a level
    12        which it cannot compete with anybody, and it will take many
    13        years to get there but we have to start somewhere.
    14
    15        We have made an arrangement and we have had discussions and
    16        we have persuaded several companies in meat trade
    17        associations in the United States, and we have been working
    18        closely with our European friends and partners, to work
    19        together to develop the beef industry in Russia, starting
    20        from the beginning, starting from the breeds.  There is the
    21        American Breeders Association which will be coming, and we
    22        have started -- they have started to study the whole beef
    23        industry in Russia to determine what can be done.  I have
    24        had communications with our Chairman and partners which
    25        have been closely associated in the development of meat
    26        products in the Russia, and they have told me that the
    27        conditions are very primitive.  But we have to start.  All
    28        of the conditions are not the best, I would admit that, but
    29        if we do not get involved today, those conditions will
    30        remain or get worse in the future.  We have made a
    31        commitment that we will help them get what they wanted.
    32
    33   Q.   I understand that answer, Dr. Gonzales.  Are you hopeful
    34        that things will take a turn for the better?
    35        A.  That is correct.
    36
    37   Q.   Could you turn then, just so that one can in a sense try to
    38        complete the picture so far as these questionnaires are
    39        concerned, to tab C which is Hungary?  Have you got that?
    40        A.  I have got Chile -- oh, yes, I have got that.
    41
    42   Q.   Again one sees what, according to your last answer, one
    43        might see as too many negative answers though they do use
    44        the captive bolt.  There are four no's so far as the beef
    45        cattle are concerned in that questionnaire.  What is the
    46        position in Hungary, so far as beef production is
    47        concerned?
    48        A.  In general we have made a tremendous improvement in
    49        Hungary.  That chart is obsolete by now.
    50 
    51   Q.   It is obselete by now, is it? 
    52        A.  By now.  We have made tremendous improvements in that 
    53        country to the level which all of these conditions are made
    54        now.
    55
    56   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What is the date of that document?  I can see
    57        fax dates on it but is there any way of dating it?
    58        A.  I would say it is the same date.  The fax date is the
    59        date I received that, so that is -----
    60

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