Brussels, 04/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - Russia has accepted the compromise proposed by Switzerland to resolve its disagreement with Georgia on legalising customs posts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, thereby opening the way for its accession to the WTO before the end of this year.
Russia certainly stepped on the gas in its accession process to the WTO when, on Thursday 3 November, it agreed to a compromise brokered by Switzerland to settle its on-going dispute with Georgia over legalising customs posts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two breakaway Georgian provinces which have been independent in all but name since the armed conflict between Georgia and Russia in August 2008 and which are recognised as such by Moscow. The agreement provides for international monitoring by an independent private firm which will act as mediator between Georgian and Russian customs on the entry and exit of goods in the region.
Switzerland has been mediating between the two countries for some months. Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey held discussions with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in Moscow on 30 October before going on to meet Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in Batumi the following day. She then informed WTO Director General Pascal Lamy on 1 November of the outcome of her discussions. Finally, Russia and Georgia reached agreement on the Swiss compromise on 3 November.
While Saakashvili hailed a “diplomatic victory” for his country, obtaining “considerable recognition of Georgia's borders”, his Russian counterpart, Medvedev, attending the G20 in Cannes, confirmed his country's willingness to accept the proposed compromise on Russia's accession to the WTO prepared by Switzerland. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso also welcomed the announcement of the agreement between the two countries, appreciating “the flexibility shown by both” and praising “the hard work, persistence and creativity” of Switzerland in mediating. Barroso urged Russia and Georgia to overcome the very last technical difficulties in order to formalise the deal. An official announcement will be made next week, the Russian authorities said.
Following the agreement in principle by the EU and the United States at the end of 2010, then the resolution of pending bilateral issues with the EU in particular on Russian investment in the car industry (see EUROPE 10479), on 21 October, the way would now seem clear for Russia to join the WTO before the end of the year. Multilateral negotiations are continuing in Geneva to officialise the accession at the WTO ministerial conference in mid-December. (EH/transl.rt)