22.10.2007
The next round of talks on Russia 's accession to the World Trade Organization will be held at the WTO headquarters in Geneva on Monday.
Russia 's chief negotiator, the head of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry's trade talks department, Maxim Medvedkov, told Itar-Tass the talks will focus on five chapters of the report that will define Russia 's accession to the organization.
The report contains a total of forty-six chapters, including two thirds that have already been coordinated. The chapters to be discussed on Monday touch upon customs administration, customs values, the application of customs procedures and the functioning of free economic zones.
At the previous round of consultations a month ago most country-members of the working group urged soonest completion of Russia 's WTO accession process.
The report of the working group, and reports on goods and services are three documents that will set conditions for Russia 's membership. At a final meeting the working group will submit its recommendations to the WTO Council. The WTO General Council will have a final say.
Medvedkov expressed the hope that these procedures will be completed before the end of the year. Then Russia 's parliament will have to ratify the agreement with the WTO.
On October 19, Geneva hosted a round of talks with Georgia on Russia 's WTO accession. Participants discussed the operation of customs checkpoints at the Abkhazian and South Ossetian sectors of the Russian-Georgian border.
“The discussions proceeded constructively and oriented for good results,” Medvedkov said. The next round of talks will be held “in three-four weeks.”
On October 23, Russia will meet for a new round of consultations with Saudi Arabia .