11.06.2009 16:39:41
EU seeks clarity from Russia over WTO accession bid (Xinhua, June 11, 2009)

The European Commission is waiting for clarification from the Russian side on its bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), a commission spokesman said here on Wednesday.

"We are now seeking clarity from the Russian authorities on how they see this WTO accession process going forward," Lutz Gullner said at a press briefing.

"We will be discussing this with the Russian authorities now in the next few days at all the levels that are appropriate," he said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would launch negotiations for accession to the WTO as a Customs Union, suspending individual talks for accession.

His remarks at a briefing after a meeting of the ruling body of the three-party customs union astonished the EU.

Gullner said that just a few days ago Russia at a meeting of ministerial level with the EU "confirmed its intention or objective to complete the WTO accession process before the end of the year."

Russian Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina said last week that Moscow and the EU could wrap up WTO entry negotiations by the end of this year.

Russia, which has been seeking WTO membership for more than 15 years, is the largest economy still outside the global trade watchdog.