DUBAI, United Arab Emirates � The United Arab Emirates has issued a temporary ban on cucumbers from Spain, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands because of concerns about the deadly E. coli bacteria outbreak in Europe.
State news agency WAM says the Gulf nation's Minister of Environment and Water issued the order Wednesday based on information "from international food safety agencies and news reports."
Other produce from the countries will be allowed in if importers can provide documentation that it is free of E. coli.
The Gulf federation's foreign affairs ministry is also warning its citizens living or traveling in Europe to avoid eating vegetables altogether.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
BRUSSELS (AP) � The European Union says a Russian ban on imports of vegetables from the 27-country bloc meant to prevent a deadly bacterial outbreak from entering is disproportionate.
The statement comes as Germany says one person died overnight from the illness, bringing the death toll from the outbreak to 18.
Frederic Vincent, a spokesman for the EU's Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli, said Thursday that the European Commission would write to the Russian Agency for the Supervision of Consumer Rights to demand further clarification of the ban.
Vincent said the EU would also set up meetings with Russian authorities over the coming days.
Russia gets about 30 percent to 40 percent of its fruit and vegetables from the EU.
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