Vladimir Putin Disagrees With Requirements Set To Russia For Entering World Trade Organisation

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed disagreement with the requirements set to Russia for entering the World Trade Organisation /WTO/, this correspondent reports. Speaking on Tuesday before Belgian businessmen in Brussels, Putin wondered why Russia was presented with "special requirements" for entry into the WTO, which had previously never been set to other countries. "We disagree with the requests that are being presented to us and never been presented to others," the president emphasised. For example, Putin said, Russia is demanded that even before joining the WTO it should bring all its laws in line with the organisation's laws, that is, open its markets first. The Russian head of state called this approach "political". "We do not understand this," he said, adding that Russia does not seek any privileges for itself, but wants to have general conditions for joining the WTO. In the ultimate analysis our partners in Europe are interested more and will gain more when Russia enters the WTO than Russian business is and will," Putin stressed.