MOSCOW – On March 2, a leading Russian medical official said trade officials representing Moscow and Washington have made progress in U.S. poultry import talks, according to The Associated Press.

Starting Jan.1, Russia, which is a major poultry importer, began banning all chlorine-treated poultry imports, banning the 600,000 tons of poultry allowed from the U.S. under revised quotas. U.S. farmers accounted for 20% of the 3.5 million tons of poultry Russia consumed last year.

Russia and a visiting U.S. delegation reached common ground on unspecified points March 2. The second round of talks started on March 1 after negotiations broke down in January. Russian officials claim chlorine, which is widely used by U.S. poultry processors as an anti-microbial treatment, poses a threat to consumer health.