The presidents of Finland and Russia pledged at a joint news conference on Wednesday to settle a dispute over food exports within a fortnight.

Russia announced last week it would impose an export ban on 14 Finnish food processing facilities.

Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, said at the Finnish president's summer residence that the quality of Finnish food was in order and that there was no need to politicise the issue.

Finland's Tarja Halonen said she hoped that possible lapses in communication between the two countries' officials were addressed as soon as possible.

Finnish food safety officials have criticised their Russian counterparts for making an announcement on the ban only after Russian border stations began turning back lorries carrying Finnish food.

STT
LEHTIKUVA - MARTTI KAINULAINEN