Russia hopes to join WTO in summer

MIAMI (Itar-Tass) -- Russia hopes to end 18-year old talks
and join the World Trade Organization (WTO) this summer provided US
support, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov told a forum of emerging
markets in Miami on Thursday.
"Provided support from our partners, first and foremost, the United
States which numerously stressed priority of Russian accession to the
WTO, we hope to become members of the organization already this summer,"
Ivanov said.
He stressed the US support was specifically significant for Russia.
"On the bilateral level various long-standing problems have been lifted.
At present our experts work in close interaction and do everything
possible to complete the many-year marathon in the multilateral format as
soon as possible," he said.
However he said Russian accession to the WTO also depends on the
lifting of the discriminative Jackson-Vanik amendment by the United States.
Ivanov said Russian accession would be profitable for all parties as
"it is clear that mutually acceptable solutions reached in the WTO format
on the whole range of trade issues will automatically provide long-term
stability guarantees for foreign business, including American business in
Russia."
The deputy prime minister said one of the major remaining barriers was
"the Georgian issue" related to customs checkpoints.