Russia and Georgia sign bilateral agreement on WTO

Today, Russia and Georgia have signed a bilateral agreement relating to customs administration and monitoring of trade in goods. The document should remove the last obstacle to Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 5 the parties initialled (provisionally confirmed, - note of the "Caucasian Knot") a bilateral agreement relating to customs administration and monitoring of trade in goods. Sergi Kapanadze, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, said that the parties had also coordinated the text of the report of the working group on Russia's accession to the WTO, which deals with the Russia's obligations to Georgia related to the WTO.

The fact of signing the document at the ceremony, which was closed for the press, was confirmed by Maxim Medvedkov, the head of the Russian delegation at negotiations on accession to the WTO and the head of the Department for Trade Negotiations of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the ITAR-TASS reports.

"The mutually coordinated draft is based on the concept proposed by us and doesn't get beyond the principles of the Russian position. It corresponds to the realities prevailing in the region and is not contrary to WTO rules," said Medvedkov.

According to his story, the document envisages, in particular, involvement of an independent company to audit the trading data. Russia and Georgia, being WTO members, should supply these data to the integrated database of the WTO. The audit company will also help the Russian and Georgian customs services in particular issues of customs administration.

Thus, the process of Russia's accession to the WTO could be completed on December 15. By November 11, the decision of the working group on Russia's accession to the WTO should be made; and if it is positive, it will be brought to the ministerial meeting of countries-members of the WTO, which was held on December 15, 2011. At this meeting, the WTO accession process will be completed - it needs only to be ratified, the RBC reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 27 Switzerland, which mediates the Georgia-Russia talks, offered to attract representatives of commercial companies - to be officially recruited by the intermediary, Switzerland or the EU, - to be deployed at the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia with Russia as observers. On November 2, Maxim Medvedkov said that Russia was ready to accept the proposals of Swiss mediators.

The diplomatic victory of Georgia was proclaimed by President Mikhail Saakashvili and Georgian political analysts. Abkhazia and South Ossetia expressed their protest against the signed agreements on goods monitoring.

Today, the Abkhaz authorities have reiterated their intention not to admit any international observers into their territory.