Russia unlikely to join WTO in 2011: official

MOSCOW, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chances for Russia to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of this year are very low, said Russian Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina on Friday.

Russia was unlikely to finish the negotiations on WTO accession this year and the talks could still take years, the minister told reporters at the 10th International Investment Forum in Sochi, south Russia.

"In my view, there is a very slight chance that we could finish the negotiations by the end of the year as we planned, but it still exists," Nabiullina was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

The main obstacle for WTO talks, according to the minister, has been the new regulations of the industrial assembly which has not been settled so far with the European Union, and position of Georgia.

"There is no progress in talks with Georgia," Nabiullina said, adding that other problems such as meat import and sanitary norms have been resolved.

Russia, which has been seeking WTO membership for some 18 years, is the largest economy remaining outside the global trade organization. WTO may discuss the Russia's admission in December provided that all remaining issues will have been settled before that meeting.

September 16, 2011

Source: Xinhua News