Brussels, 15/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - As announced by EUROPE, European Commissioner Pascal Lamy is in Russia this Thursday, for a new session of bilateral negotiations on conditions for Russia to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). On the eve of his talks with Prime Minister Kasyanov, the Trade Minister German Gref and representatives of Russian industry, the Commissioner said that he is "resolved to make major progress", which will mean "continuing our work on a number of key points such as services and issues realted to energy trade". "We will continue to work openly and constructively, in the hope that Russia will be ready to join the WTO sooner", he added.
After the Brussels session, which confirmed the stalemate on liberalisation of the Russian energy markets - followed by a virulent diatribe by President Putin himself against the "unreasonable" demands of the EU, discussion in Moscow focused on the way in which to push forward negotiations on the commitments by Russia on access to agricultural, industrial and services markets. Brussels says that energy (domestic princes, export rights, discriminatory transport charges, free transit), is not "on the agenda". Negotiators must now review "discriminatory taxes" imposed on European air carriers flying over Siberia to Asia, as well as on telecommunications.