Belarus still has a lot to do to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said Director of the Department of Trade Negotiations of Russian Ministry of Economic Development Maxim Medvedkov. According to him, considerable work on WTO accession has been done by Kazakhstan, which may join the organization in "a few months" after Russia's accession.
As for Russia itself, Maxim Medvedkov said: «The completion of negotiations on Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization is technically possible in April 2011.» The head of Russia’s negotiating delegation added that «the plan maximum» was to ensure Russia’s accession to the WTO this year, RIA Novosti news agency.
«After negotiations, working group on Russia’s accession to the WTO will have to prepare all the documents, check them with all members of the organization and submit this package along with the recommendation of the adoption to the General Council of the organization,» said Maxim Medvedkov.
Then, according to a representative of the Russian Federation Ministry of Economic Development, General Council, which summons the meeting once every two months, should approve these documents and include Russia into the organization. «After that, all documents will be submitted for ratification in the Russian parliament (which usually takes 3-5 months) and Russia will finally become a WTO member 30 days after the signing of the instruments of ratification by the president,» said Maxim Medvedkov, adding that the Russian State Duma might ratify all documents on the WTO even faster.
Keeping to the subject of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, Maxim Medvedkov said: «What is important for the functioning of the Customs Union? It is important for us to take equal commitments when joining the WTO.»
