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
