Russian and British Businessmen to Set up Joint Working Group on Russia's Entry into WTO

The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) are to set up a joint working group on issues relating to Russia's entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO). According to Severstal's press office, a decision on this matter will be taken during the Russian Economic Forum, which began in London today. The forum runs up to April 4 and will include a meeting between RSPP vice-president Igor Yurgens, Alexei Mordashov, the head of the working group on Russia's entry into the WTO, and representatives of the CBI.

Mordashov said that 'today, when Russia joining the WTO depends on how quickly and successfully the governments of Russia and WTO member countries can find a compromise on a number of contentious issues, Russian and foreign business may be able to influence the talks by directly communicating with each other.' 'The creation of a working group by the RSPP and the CBI will allow British and Russian business to conduct a direct dialogue on the conditions for Russian entry during the negotiation process. The main task will be to find compromises on the most problematic negotiation issues, ' said Mordashov.