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Wednesday, October 24, 2007, #203 (1470)
Russia must share control of the border points leading to Georgia’s secessionist territories if it wants to join the WTO, Tbilisi’s negotiators reiterated on October 21 in Geneva. The Geneva negotiations are the latest meeting between Georgian and Russian representatives, as they hash out terms for allowing Russia’s WTO accession. As a WTO member, Georgia can block Russia’s entry to the organization. It is the only country now threatening to do so. Tamar Kovzanadze, the Georgian deputy Minister of Economic Development, said that Georgia’s demands are unchanged from the last talks: the “legalization” of customs checkpoints at Psou and Roki Tunnel, the main entrance points from Russia to breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, respectively, according to the newspaper 24 Saati. Georgian forces currently have no control over the checkpoints, which operate on de jure Georgian territory. Maxim Medvekov, Russia’s chief negotiator and head of the Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry’s trade talks department, described Georgia’s position as “quite strange.” Georgia’s demands having nothing to do with the rules of the WTO, he added, according to 24 Saati. The United States, once reluctant to allow Russian WTO accession, has recently lifted its objections. In November 2006, Russia signed a WTO market agreement with the US, giving each country greater access to each other’s markets. It constituted a “significant milestone” in Russia’s WTO bid, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative. Some Georgian analysts suggest that pressure from Washington may cause Tbilisi to back down on it demands. Another round of negotiations is expected late next month |
Georgia stands firm on conditions for Russian WTO accession