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Russia hoping to complete WTO talks within 2 months - ministry

MOSCOW, January 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia hopes to complete bilateral talks on its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) within two months' time, an economics ministry official said Friday. Speaking at the European Commission office in Moscow, Maxim Medvedkov, Russia's chief WTO negotiator, said: "I hope we will complete all bilateral negotiations by the end of February, maybe March."

Medvedkov also said Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref would meet with his counterparts from the WTO member countries with whom talks are continuing on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort town of Davos in late January. Negotiations still have to be concluded with the United States, Australia, Switzerland and Columbia.

The official said he hoped the bilateral talks on access to Russia's services and goods markets would yield solutions to 16 as yet unresolved issues essential to a WTO Working Party's final report laying down phytosanitary, customs and other requirements that Russia must meet before it can gain WTO membership.

Russia's parliament will amend intellectual property and other laws in line with WTO conditions within a few months, he said.