March 12 2008, 10:15

Russia may enter WTO in 2009

Russia may become the full-fledged member of the World Trade Organization in January 2009. By the present moment Russia has conducted the bilateral negotiations with more than 60 countries.

"If there is nothing unexpected, Russia will become the WTO member since January 2009", Alexey Portanskiy, the Chief of Information Bureau on the Russia's entrance to WTO said.

According to Mr. Portanskiy, the negotiations on Russia's entrance to WTO may be finished by summer this year. Russia has already conducted the bilateral negotiations with more than 60 countries; there are only the negotiations with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Georgia left, he specifies.

"Talking about Georgia, I can say that there is the only question about the functioning of the custom offices on the territory of Abkhazia and Southern Osetia. I would carefully say that we will agree these questions with Georgia soon", Mr. Portanskiy informs.

He also adds that the decision regarding the negotiations with Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is the issue of several weeks, IA "RIA News" informs.