Cold War Update

U.S. Denies Political Motives in Blocking Russia's WTO Bid

The United States is not throwing up any political hurdles to Russia’s bid to join the WTO, new U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said, AFP reports. Russia has angrily accused the U.S. government of injecting political questions about democracy and human rights into the trade negotiations, but Schwab this was not the case.

“From our perspective that is not a political negotiation. That is a straightforward commercial negotiation,” she said. Asked if the bilateral talks could be wrapped up before Russia hosts a Group of Eight summit next month, Schwab said: “It’s not beyond the realms of possibility.” But she added: “We’re not there yet on the bilateral.”

After Russia successfully concluded talks with Australia this week, the United States is the last big hurdle standing in the way of Moscow’s long-running campaign to join the World Trade Organization.

Would-be WTO members must strike bilateral agreements with concerned trading partners before they can try to get a green light to join the body that sets the rules of global commerce.

Original article posted here.