Brussels, 09/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - Despite criticism from the European Union and the United States, Russia is persevering in its determination to become a member of the WTO, no longer individually but as part of a customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan. Although the issue was avoided during US President Barack Obama's visit early in the week, it was back on the table on 8 July when US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced that Washington considers as unrealistic the project that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin unveiled in early June to everyone's astonishment (EUROPE 9918). “Most WTO members feel it simply cannot work. Customs union would only delay matters”, Mr Locke explained on Wednesday. During talks with his Russian counterparts, Mr Locke described Moscow's approach as being “in parallel” to the continuation of WTO membership talks individually by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, albeit with consultation between the different countries. The Russian minister for economic development, Elvira Nabioullina, nonetheless said on Wednesday that Moscow was not giving up its plan. “The decision has been taken. We shall synchronise our action (with Minsk and Astana) as our customs union will be launched on 1 January 2010. There are several scenarios possible as one of our tasks is to seek to safeguard an essential part of the agreements already concluded by Russia in the context of its WTO membership talks. But our position is unanimous. We shall form a customs union and conduct WTO membership talks for three countries”, she said. On the European side, the Commission cannot conceal its scepticism. “Russia is very close to entering the WTO. We expected it to become a member by the end of the year, while Kazakhstan is only at the stage of concluding a bilateral agreement (Ed: conclusion at the WTO of bilateral agreements on market access is a necessary stage in the membership process). And as for Belarus, it has hardly begun its negotiations. The new scheme completely changes the picture”, it was recently explained by the press officer for the Commission's representation in Russia, Marc Franco. (E.H./transl.jl).