EU LEADERS endorsed Russia’s application to join the World Trade Organisation, a move that marks a significant advance in the country’s 17-year effort to join the trade body.
The development meant it was “realistic” for Russia to complete the accession procedure next year, president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso told reporters after an EU-Russia summit in Brussels.
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said at a joint press conference that his country’s move to join the WTO “becomes a reality” after agreements to resolve a long-running tariff dispute were signed at the summit.
This move ends the European Union’s WTO veto, thanks in the main to Moscow’s pledge to phase out export tariffs on timber and rail freight fees. The EU’s relationship with Russia is crucial, as the country is a major supplier of energy to the EU.
“The EU and Russia have concluded their bilateral negotiations on the WTO, and we agree that we should now focus on the multilateral negotiations so that Russia can become a member of the WTO as soon as possible,” said European Council president Herman Van Rompuy.
“This is a paramount step forward and a step the world is closely watching,” he added.
The issue of the WikiLeaks disclosures of vast number of US diplomatic cables did not arise at the press conference.
One cable portrayed Mr Medvedev in an unflattering light as playing “Robin” to the “Batman” role of prime minister Vladimir Putin.
While the cables revealed acute concern about rampant corruption in Russia, it also emerged that former Soviet states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania lobbied Nato for a formal defence plan after the eruption of Russia’s war with Georgia in 2008.
Mr Van Rompuy praised Mr Medvedev’s “personal commitment” to the cause of Russia’s modernisation. However, he also said he had raised concerns about violent attacks on human rights defenders and journalists in Russia.
“I deliver the message on behalf of the heads of state or government of the EU’s 27 member states when I encourage you on working on Russia’s modernisation based democratic values, by building a modern economy and by encouraging the active involvement of civil society.”
