Kazakhstan, Astana, May 22/ Trend , K.Arynova/
To join the World Trade Organization (WTO) is Russia's priority and determinant task, Russian Vice Premier Igor Shuvalov said at he next meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Astana on May 22.
"We are working with our partners in the WTO and our delegation is always in Geneva. We will not cancel our plans, and all statements made previously are examined as a priority work," Shuvalov said.
The vice-premier said there were some unsolved issues on agriculture and intellectual property rights. "We will do our best to solve these issues and finish all the procedural issues," Shuvalov said. The working group is expected to make a relevant report by late 2009, he added.
Shuvalov said Russia does not want the WTO and the Customs Union are seen as an alternative to each other. "We have created a road map to join the WTO, and the other - to create a single customs union," Shuvalov said.
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