Senator Margelov: Changes in Russian-US economic relations should be preceded by consultations

Any changes in the bilateral economic relations should be preceded by consultations, and this should be decided at the highest level.

This is said in the report the theses of which were presented at the annual trade and investment forecast conference of the US-Russian business council in Washington by chairman of the international affairs committee of the Federation Council Mikhail Margelov.

The report, which is being prepared for the forthcoming Russian-American summit by the Russian part of the working group "Senate-Federation Council", should systematise all the elements which hamper the normal development of relations between the USA and Russia.

The report stresses that the holding of consultations before the introduction of prohibitive measures will make bilateral relations predictable. The need of taking such a step is explained by the fact that the damage being done by unilateral measures is too great, and this "may also be confirmed by the Russian metallurgists and US producers of chicken legs," Margelov pointed out. The Russian senator stressed that the US legislation retains a number of legal measures which hamper the normal development of relations between the USA and Russia. He said, in particular, that the Russian side regards the refusal to give Russia the status of a market economy country as a most serious obstacle.

Margelov also called upon the USA to cancel the remaining restrictions on the delivery of high-tech products to Russia.

The Russian and the US sides have a serious instrument which makes it possible to positively influence the development of trade and economic ties -- "the political will of our presidents," the report says.