Another round of talks on Russia joining the WTO has ended in Geneva

On Friday, after the closing ceremony of the latest round of talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, RF Deputy Minister of Economic Development Maxim Medvedkov stated that both sides consider the results of negotiations as positive.

The head of the Russian delegation pointed out that "the growing sense of mutual trust must help achieve a compromise that would suit both Russia and our partners. However, it doesn't mean that all problems have been solved." Medvedkov underlined, though, that the results of this round "give us hope for the future advancements in the negotiating process." After the informal meeting of the Working Group for Russia's accession to the WTO, its Chairman Kare Brin expressed the same opinion. Summing up the results of the multi-lateral consultations on energy industry, agriculture, and services industry and also bilateral talks on goods and services, Brin stated that, according to members of the Working Group, the negotiation process has become more active. "It's important to keep its fast pace now," he stressed.

Kare Brin especially emphasized the importance of the upcoming Working Group meeting to be held on November 16-17 (maybe even until November 18), which will be dedicated to the discussion of the second version of its assessment report with reference to the results of the latest round of talks. He underlined that if the pace of the present round of talks is going to be maintained, "we will be able to clarify as early as spring next year how fast the negotiation process is going to be in the future." The Russian delegation insists that, despite the importance of expediting Russia's accession to the WTO, Moscow is primarily interested in assuring that Russia's national interests are preserved when the country enters the World Trade Organization.