MINSK, November 9 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) poses no threat to Belarus or Kazakhstan, the other states involved in the Customs Union, State Secretary of the Russia-Belarus Union State Grigory Rapota said on Friday.
Rapota said there was “no danger or risk to other members of the Customs Union that have not acceded to the WTO,” and added that Russia’s WTO accession was negotiated in close cooperation with the Customs Union.
Russia acceded to the WTO on August 22. Rapota said that the WTO would hold a working group to consider the potential accession of Belarus.
“Under an optimistic scenario, accession could take place in two years’ time,” Rapota said.
Another member of the Customs Union, Kazakhstan, is set to conclude negotiations with the WTO early next year, Kazakhstan’s Economic Integration Minister said on Thursday.