On Monday, March 5, Russia denied criticism from the European Union and the United States that it is dragging its feet in talks on joining the World Trade Organization.

Russian Economy Minister German Gref expressed repeated hope that the country will join the world trade body by the end of 2007.

“As of today we are fulfilling all the commitments that we have taken on,” Gref was quoted by Reuters as telling reporters in Singapore. “I’m not sure whether we will be able to complete the accession process this year. There is a chance to make it on time but I can’t radiate certainty.”

Gref spoke after the EU ambassador to Moscow Marc Franko told Kommersant daily in an interview that Russia was failing to fulfill trade commitments and its negotiators lacked urgency in the final, multilateral stage of the WTO entry process.

“We have heard a lot from our Russian partners that joining the WTO is a priority,” Franco was quoted as saying. “But the way the negotiations are going and poor fulfillment of bilateral commitments raises doubts over whether Russia will become a member by the end of 2007.”

Last November Russia wrapped up bilateral WTO talks with the United States, completing a series of country-by-country agreements needed before negotiating a comprehensive deal with the 150-member WTO.

Russia’s $1 trillion economy is the largest outside the WTO and investors say joining could deliver the kind of economic boost to the one enjoyed by China after it joined the trade club in 2001.

A mission spokeswoman said EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson would visit Moscow in late March for talks with Russian trade officials.

Franco said that of particular concern was backsliding by Russia on commitments written into a bilateral WTO deal with the EU signed in 2004.

“Their execution is taking a lot of time, although we think that fulfilling some of them should be quite simple,” he told Kommersant. “We hope that, in the final analysis, Russia fulfills its commitments in time.”

Popularity: 2% [?]