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Customs Union puts no brakes on Russia joining WTO |
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 [16.06.06]
Russia’s participation in a Customs Union with Kazakhstan and Belarus will put no brakes on its joining the WTO. A statement to that effect was made by Russian Vice-Premier Igor Shuvalov as he appeared on Rossiya Television yesterday.
This statement is seen as significant by those who have been following Russia’s sixteen-year talks on membership in WTO. For many the decision by Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus to set up a Customs Union and join the WTO as a group of three came unexpected. Quite recently Moscow said it might join the WTO by the end of the year.
This, however, does not suggest cancellation of previously achieved results. The decision to enter the WTO as a Customs Union of three states became possible because all three have yet to settle same problems before they get a WTO membership.
Naturally, new problems might spring up as no groups of countries that form a customs union have entered WTO so far. By doing so Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus are strengthening their negotiating positions. And the WTO itself is interested in a group with that a potential. In the words of First Vice-Premier Igor Shuvalov, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus are prepared for WTO membership no worse than Ukraine and Kirghizia, which were granted a pass into it earlier.
In addition, the decision by Moscow, Minsk and Astana on WTO should promote integration on post-Soviet space and speed up the appearance of the Customs Union proper and a single economic space by 2011. Significantly, the three countries’ leaders chose to push for national interests rather than take the path of least resistance and concessions to WTO. A move of this sort is characteristic of states that are confident they are doing the right thing and are strong enough to do so.
[ (Source: ”The Voice of Russia”) russia-media.RU Murmansk & Shtokman News / FLAIT Murmansk ]
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