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Russia seeks WTO membership, but can do well without it

This is a two-way street - Medvedev

GORKI, October 19 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian President Dmitry Medvedev believes that the policy of seeking admission to the World Trade Organization is right, but he sees nothing tragic in the possibility this may not happen.

Russia’s accession to the WTO “meets not only the interests of Russia, but the interests of foreign businesses and the interests of controlling international flows,” Medvedev said at a meeting with his supporters. “This is a two-way street.”

He acknowledged that the process of WTO admission was tough-going, “particularly so because we continue to be kept in the ante-chamber, where we find it difficult to negotiate the terms of accession.”

“If we keep hearing that we are no good (for WTO) by some standards, we shall certainly survive it, I am saying this quite sincerely,” he warned.