Russia, as before, wants to join the WTO

Russia's position on WTO accession has not changed. As follows from the statements of the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow, although seeking to create a customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus, WTO (World Trade Organization) remains a priority. He said this today at a press conference after the summit in Rostov-on-Don. "We have nothing has changed in regard to the WTO, despite our desire to create a full-fledged Customs Union, single economic space with Kazakhstan and Belarus" - said Medvedev. "Not changed, because we are in principle proponents of WTO accession. We believe that without it our nation can not develop normally in the world economic space", - he said. "We did not agree about anything else with our partners, except that we join together, or, if possible, and if the degree of progress in our negotiations will be different, but today it is, will join individually," - said Russian head of state. Russia is trying to become a WTO member since 1993. Procedures for joining the organization usually takes five to seven years. Recall that unexpectedly last year, Russia has refused to join the organization itself. It was decided to join the WTO, together with Belarus and Kazakhstan single customs union. But then still Russian officials reiterated their readiness to continue negotiations on WTO accession of Russia out of the Customs Union.