Brussels, 10/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - Russia continues to blow hot and cold over its WTO membership. After showing perseverance in its desire to join the multilateral organisation which governs world trade - no longer individually but as part of a customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan - and despite EU and US criticism (EUROPE 9939), Moscow is now assuring that it is again willing to have individual membership. This was explained on the sidelines of the G8 summit in L'Aquila on Thursday 9 July by Arkady Dvorkovich, who is economic adviser to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, in declarations to the press. “Russia will conduct talks concerning its WTO membership by itself. As discussions have shown, membership to the WTO as a customs union is a difficult process that would take years. As a result, another scenario is parallel accession by the three member countries of the customs union, which will coordinate their positions and enter the WTO at the same time”, explained Mr Dvorkovich, adding that this scenario had to be the subject of an official decision. “What is important is that Russia wants to join the WTO fast, whatever happens. We shall only join if conditions suit us”, he added, denying that a change in the Russian position could be caused by pressure from America. (E.H./transl.jl)