High Level of Radiation in Moscow Meat : French Embassy Tells Diplomats to Avoid Soviet Veal or Pork

The French Embassy reported today that a sample of veal bought in the main Moscow market registered more than six times the West European standard for radiation.

An embassy official, announcing the results of the testing done in Paris, said diplomats had been advised not to eat either veal or pork bought in the Soviet Union.

The information from the French was relayed to other embassies, and the U.S. Embassy advised American citizens also to avoid those foods until more testing has been done.

The tests registered levels of 3,700 becquerels per 2.2 pounds, more than six times above the 600-becquerel Common Market level for adults and 10 times the 370 limit for infants.

Report on Cleanup Efforts

In the Kremlin, the Politburo discussed a government commission report on cleanup efforts at the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site, 600 miles southwest of the Soviet capital.

At Lenin Stadium, Soviet pop stars threw a benefit concert to benefit the victims and about 100,000 evacuees forced to seek temporary shelter and work because of the April 26 accident.

In Moscow, Dr. Robert Gale, a bone-marrow specialist treating victims of Chernobyl, said he has received Soviet permission to visit the site of the accident. Gale said he will make the trip to assess the accident’s long-term health affects on nearby residents.

The disaster--the worst in the history of nuclear power--killed at least 23 people and left 59 in serious condition with radiation poisoning.

Special Relief Fund

The Politburo praised ordinary citizens for their contributions to government Account No. 904, the special relief fund for the victims of Chernobyl, Moscow Radio said.

The government has not announced how much money has been collected in the special fund opened a few days after the accident at the end of April.

“The Politburo has considered a report of the government commission on the work being done to clean up the aftermath of the accident at Chernobyl and gradually normalizing the situation at the plant itself and in the adjacent area,” Moscow Radio said.

Earlier in the week, the radio announced that the three intact sister reactors at Chernobyl, including the one coupled to the damaged unit will be restarted by the end of the year.

Army decontamination teams still cannot get close to the reactor and have relied on helicopters dropping radiation-absorbent materials along with remote-controlled bulldozers and robots for most of the initial cleanup.

Workers are tunneling under the damaged reactor’s core and have been pumping in cold gas to bring down the temperature inside the reactor and will finally entomb the reactor in concrete.

Soviet officials have indicated that the 100,000 people evacuated from the 19-mile danger zone around the reactor will not be permitted to return anytime soon.