-Caveat Lector- Opposition party wants ban on French beef The Associated Press 11/4/00 8:14 PM LONDON (AP) -- Britain's opposition Conservative Party called Saturday for the European Union to ban exports of French beef because of continuing cases of mad cow disease in France. Conservative agriculture spokesman James Paice said Britain should also consider a unilateral ban on French beef -- like the French ban on British beef because of the same disease. "If the European Commission won't ban it, I think our government should," Paice said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. "That's exactly what the French have done to us in refusing to accept our beef." The EU banned all British beef exports in March 1996, but lifted the prohibition in August 1999 in response to safety measures adopted by Britain. All member states lifted the export embargo except France. Outside the EU, more than 40 countries, including the United States, Australia and Switzerland, also refuse to accept British beef. Experts believe that mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, can be passed onto humans if they eat infected beef. The human variant of the rare brain disease -- called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease -- has killed 81 people in Britain since it was identified by government scientists in late 1995. In France, more than 80 cases of mad cow disease have been diagnosed so far this year, including two new cases reported Friday. There were 31 reported cases last year. Fear of the disease is mounting there, with a small western town announcing Saturday it was taking beef off the menus of its schools, day-care centers and public cafeterias. Copyright 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
