Russia's WTO accession is the key to solving issues of economics and commerce, Mr Gref pointed out. Only after gaining WTO membership will the nation be able to substantially expand and harmonize its trade rules with the EU, he argues.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to step up the negotiating process toward Russia's integration with the EU, in terms of security, culture, education, and scientific research as well as economics. Mr Putin would like all contentious issues hindering the talks to be resolved as soon as possible, but, according to the minister, it seems unrealistic to get all necessary blueprints ready before the next EU-Russia summit in May. As for trade and economic issues, there is no major disagreement on any of them.
At their talks Monday, Messrs. Gref and Mandelson discussed outstanding problems in the EU-Russia relationship that needed to be addressed without delay. These have to do primarily with transit to Kaliningrad via Lithuania, phyto-sanitary regulations, and trans-Siberian flights.
Mr Gref said Russia had committed itself to bringing payments for trans-Siberian flights in line with international standards by the year 2013 and that these commitments had been consolidated in a newly signed agreement with the EU.
The sides agreed to consider all these issues in greater detail at their next meeting in the latter half of April, Mr Gref told the media.
The EU Trade Commissioner, for his part, reiterated the European Union's willingness to assist Russia in joining the WTO before the end of 2005. "We have a long way to go, but the objective is not unattainable, provided thereis enough political will," Mr Mandelson pointed out.
