PRIME-TASS. The Russian banks on joining the World Trade Organization in summer-autumn 2011. As Itar-TASS reports, vice PM Sergey Ivanov said this, addressing the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
According to him, 2010 was “the year of breakthrough in the negotiations over Russia’s admission to WTO and we expect Russia will join this organization as early as summer or autumn 2011”. “This timeframe looks quite real, as far as we understand all circumstances," the vice PM added.
“Despite the fact Russia wants to enter this international organization, we perfectly understand all merits and demerits for our economy, which will follow,“ Ivanov went on to say adding that “the strongest sectors of the Russian economy will definitely benefit, but less competitive industries (machine engineering, automotive and others) will suffer”. “However, we are going to take this step, as we understand that once these sectors are hit following Russia’s WTO admission, they will immediately have stronger incentives to carry out renewal and retooling programs than now,” he added.
Talking about Georgia’s positions with regard to Russia’s entry into WTO, the vice PM pointed out that “these problems have nothing to do with WTO, trade, security or other similar issues”. “The core of the problem is political, and we would like to solve it independently," Ivanov emphasized.
