Russia is ready to delay joining the WTO rather than enter on unfavorable terms, the speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, Boris Gryzlov, said yesterday, quoted by Interfax.
"The process of Russia joining the WTO should only be favorable. There are no alternatives ... Otherwise it will be delayed for the long term," Gryzlov said.
Visiting US senators said on Monday that Russia's democracy record and the Kremlin's stance in the Iranian nuclear crisis would influence the US Congress as it considers Moscow's bid to join the WTO.
"Progress being made in reversing anti-democratic trends and perceptions as to progress being made in Iran do color the positions of the United States Senate," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who led a group of senators on a trip to Russia, said at a news conference.
Frist and others said that Russia and the US need to tackle differences in the enforcement of intellectual property rights and opening Russian markets, but they also emphasized that progress in the political field would help create a positive attitude toward Moscow's WTO bid among congressmen.
"Russia's positions on the issues such as Iran's nuclear program and trends in democracy promotion -- issues such as freedom of the press, expression by NGOs -- will affect how Congress handles lifting the current Jackson-Vanik restrictions," Frist said in a reference to the Soviet-era trade restrictions, the lifting of which is important for opening the way for Russia to join the WTO.
Russia has resisted a US push for international sanctions against Iran, an important economic partner. The Kremlin also has faced strong Western criticism for backtracking on democracy -- accusations it has denied.
Frist said that congress will carefully watch the implementation of a Kremlin-initiated law that imposes new restrictions on non-government organizations (NGOs).
"The NGO law is of particular concern," Frist said. "Anything that strikes down or constrains or restricts full NGO participation ... is something that would be discouraging to us."
Among economic issues, the US urged Russia to make stronger anti-piracy efforts, offer US companies broader access to its insurance and financial markets as well as remove some agricultural barriers.
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