BBC MONITORING | Interfax | December 18, 2001
Russia and World Trade Organization member nations have agreed on the tariffs to be levied on 80 per cent of the items to be imported into Russia, Maksim Medvedkov, deputy economic development and trade minister and head of the Russian negotiating team, told a news conference in Geneva following the latest round of talks on Tuesday.
That round, which covered access to the Russian goods and services market, was held in Geneva on 3-11 December. Talks on services were held with 11 WTO member nations, and talks on goods were held with 30 nations.
Despite marked progress in talks, no understanding has been reached on basic goods such as medicines, cars and furniture, Medvedkov said. Whether Russia would join the sectoral initiative (non-binding agreement) on civil aviation, under which Russia would not impose import duties on aircraft, remains unresolved. Russia is standing by its position, under which this issue should not be discussed until it becomes a full member of the WTO.
The next round of talks on goods and services and bilateral and multilateral consultations on agriculture will be held in the second half of January, simultaneously with the next meeting, scheduled for 23-24 January, of the working group on Russia joining the WTO.BBC MONITORING:
