The ministry also reported on considerable progress in the talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.
As of early December 2004, the Russian side has completed bilateral negotiations on goods with 18 countries and on services with 10 countries. Bilateral talks are underway or will be soon completed with 25 countries, the ministry said.
Four sessions of the working group on Russia's accession to the WTO comprising 58 WTO members were held throughout 2004. The third version of the draft report of the working group was prepared. This is the basic document reflecting Russia's rights and duties on the results of all talks on the WTO accession.
During the discussion of the third version WTO partners approved the document and said it was a good basis for the final report, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry noted.
The work on the draft report of the working group will continue in January-February 2005.
The signing of the protocol on the completion of bilateral negotiations with major trade partners - the European Union and China, was the highlight of the talks in the outgoing year, the ministry stressed.
"The unconditional recognition of the market status of Russia's economy by Venezuela and Ecuador was the practical result of the 2004 activities on eliminating the discriminating approach to Russian producers. Peru and Egypt are going to acknowledge this status in the near future," the ministry said.
The Economic Development and Trade Ministry also managed to solve a vital trade and political problem in Russian-US. relations concerning the protection of intellectual property rights in Russia. American producers of audiovisual goods insisted on Russia's withdrawal from the General System of Preferences which allows Russia to export many goods to the States duty-free.
As a result of the new measures, the decision on this issue has been postponed, the ministry said.
