Russia warned on Thursday it might annul all preferences it has
given the United States in meat trade if talks on its accession to
the World Trade Organization (WTO), scheduled for October in
Geneva, collapse.
A letter recently sent by Economy Minister German Gref to US
authorities said Russia "will be forced to return to the position
that existed before the understandings on meat trade until Russia's
accession to the WTO," the Economic Development and Trade Ministry
said in a statement.
"While remaining true to its WTO accession plans, Russia
nevertheless is determined to protect its interests," the letter
said.
The agreement on meat trade, which Russia and the United States
signed in June 2005 and is valid through 2009, provides for an
increase in quotas on imports of US poultry meat, beef and
pork.
Russia, the largest economy still outside the Geneva-based WTO,
has been negotiating to join the world trade body since 1993. The
United States remains the last hurdle to Russia's longtime WTO bid.
The two sides failed to clinch a deal when Russian President
Vladimir Putin met his US counterpart, George W. Bush, during the
summit of the Group of Eight major powers last month in St.
Petersburg.
Russian officials have since been cautious about when Russia
could gain membership. Maxim Medvedkov, a top negotiator of the
Russian delegation in the WTO talks, said last month that Russia
may not join the WTO this year.
(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2006)
