Russia threatened yesterday to pull out of talks with the United States over Moscow’s attempt to join the World Trade Organisation, claiming that discussions had reached their “absolute limit”.
Igor Shuvalov, Russia’s main envoy to the Group of Eight (G8) and a leading adviser to President Putin, said: “We have reached the limit, the absolute limit, in our positions and we cannot make concessions in any area.”
Mr Shuvalov said that, for domestic reasons, Russia could not give any more ground in its talks with the US. “The Government may conclude that this cycle should be started anew or suspended,” he said.
Russia has been campaigning for 12 years to join the WTO and is the only big world economy not a member.
America is withholding backing for Moscow’s candidacy and is the only leading economy not supporting it, citing shortcomings in key trade sectors. Russia’s hopes of joining the WTO in time for the G8 summit in July were dashed despite intense negotiations. It wants to join partly to help to diversify its economy, seen as focused on raw materials for export.