Maxim Medvedkov, Russia’s key negotiator at the WTO talks and chief of trade negotiations department at the RF Economic Development Ministry
Photo: Grigoriy Sobchenko
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Another Round of WTO Negotiations Starts in Geneva
Another round of multilateral and bilateral talks on Russia’s admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) starts in Geneva Monday, Russia’s chief negotiator Maxim Medvedkov told RIA Novosti.
Whether Ukraine that has become a full member of WTO Friday will join the talks is yet unclear, said Medvedkov, who heads the trade negotiations department at the RF Economic Development Ministry in addition to being the key negotiator of Russia at the WTO talks.
“As any other WTO member, Ukraine may enter the working group on Russia’s accession to the WTO. For this purpose, Ukraine is to notify the WTO secretariat on the intention to enter this group,” Medvedkov said.
Ukraine once pledged to help advance Russia to the WTO. But in February, President Viktor Yushchenko announced in Geneva that Ukraine would join the working group to discuss the exceptions and limits of free trade.
As a result of discussions on May 26, Medvedkov reminded, the working group will shape a schedule for further negotiations on a new consolidated report of the working group that the WTO secretariat will release in late April.
When making out this final document, Russia is discussing with its trade partners such issues as the customs and technical settlement, intellectual property protection and the government’s support to the agriculture. The size of the farming subvention is the hottest issue, which is to be agreed on with the United States and the Cairns Group of agricultural exporting countries.
Georgia is another problem. Tbilisi refused to meet with Russia’s delegation at the end of April in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s order to render assistance to residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “Everyone was invited, including Georgia,” Medvedkov said when asked if Georgia will attend the current event.
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