Brussels, 05/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - While several parties, including US Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama, are calling for a review of Russia's application to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday 4 September that Russia should not be sanctioned for its military action in Georgia in the form of obstacles to it joining the WTO. “I don't think it is in anyone's interests to keep Russia out of the WTO for a day longer than is avoidable,” explained Peter Mandelson: “We have got to look at this with a longer-term perspective. Russia is clearly having difficulties reconciling itself to its post-Soviet borders, but no great power downsizes easily.” Russia is the biggest economy in the world that is not a member of the WTO. The commissioner said this situation weakened Russia and was a lost opportunity for the EU27 in its attempt for export and investment markets. In order to join the WTO, Russia has to sign a bilateral agreement on market access with Georgia and a similar agreement with the EU, which is deadlocked at the moment over the controversial issue of wood export duty (see EUROPE 9630 and 9691). The conflict between Russia and Georgia has nevertheless disturbed the negotiation process. Peter Mandelson says the EU should help Russia remain on course for negotiations that should enable it “to become a full participant in the international community, not to overreact in the short term in a way that makes the long term harder to achieve”. “That is why our reaction to the events of the summer must be a mix of firmness and realism,” he added. (E.H/transl.fl)