GENEVA, August 19. /TASS/. Russia notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) about the intention to start negotiations of joining the Agreement on Government Procurement, Russian Permanent Representative to WTO Gennady Ovechko told TASS on Friday.

"In accordance with our Accession Protocol the Russian Federation notified today the WTO Committee on Government Procurement about its intention to start negotiations on accession to this Agreement," Ovechko said. "This commitment is clearly stipulated in our Accession Protocol," he added.

Russia should do so "not later than in four years after accession" to the WTO, the Permanent Representative said. "Our accession took place on August 22, 2012. So we notified the WTO about such intention not later than in four years," Ovechko added.

The multilateral Agreement on Government Procurement within the WTO framework establishes rules requiring that open, fair and transparent conditions of competition be ensured in government procurement.