BEIJING. Feb 1: US Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman warned Beijing yesterday that failure to address US concerns over Chinese quar antine restrictions on wheat imports could damage Its bid to enter the WTO. says AFP

During talks with his Chinese counterpart Liu Jiang and senior officials from the Chinese Foreign and Internal Trade ministries. Glickman said he had called for a

"legitimate, objective discussion" of the quarantine Issue that Washington says is costing US farmers 100 million dollars a year In lost exports.

China currently prohibits the import of wheat from the northwest of the United States, saying that it is con laminated with a blight known as Tllletla Controversa Kuhu (TCK).

China says TCK. which Is not yet found here. Is espe-

dally dangerous because it can spread to local seeds.

US agricultural experts challenge the scientific basis of the quarantine regulation, and Glickman indicated that the Chinese measure was really aimed at protecting the domestic market.

"There is a tendency for lome countries to use science to protect what they produce at home." Glickman aaid. adding that when. ' science is used as a reason for quarantine purpose... it must be based upon objective concepts compatible with international norms of good science."

While the TCK issue was not causing "a giant rift" in Slno-US reYations. Glickman warned that it oouM have serious repercussions for China, especially regarding Beijing's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)

"TCK is the kind of thing that can cause serious problems In the US congress in terms of Issued 11ke WTO accession and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status."

"We want open minds on the Issue of TCK. and so far we haven't really yottCT food proposals from the Chinese on how to handle the problem". Glickman said, adding t hat Chinese quarantine policies were also affecting imports of US citrus fruits and grapes.