"Russia is conducting a correct policy for entering the WTO. It firmly stands up to its national interests, thus demonstrating that it has not to hurry up at all," Livschits said.
The expert believes that there is no need for Russia to hurry up in joining the WTO. "Russia has already have the most favored nation status in trade, and as to anti-dumping, it will remain in the future as it was in the past," he noted. According to him, the positive factors from joining the WTO are the annulment of quotas and "the possibility to complain." "To join the WTO is advantageous, but not so much as to run there at breakneck speed," underscored Livschits.
He believes that "it is the European Union which prevents Russia from entering the WTO." "Russia has not yet succeeded in settling controversial questions with the European Union, in the first place concerning gas, that is, the timeframe for liberalizing the market," he said.
"The liberalization of the gas market will take six years. To keep Russia out of the WTO for so many years is senseless. For this reason we are ready to accept one or two EU conditions, other four - later," explained the economist.
