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BRATISLAVA SUMMIT WILL FACILITATE RUSSIA'S ACCESSION TO WTO?

MOSCOW, February 23 (RIA Novosti) - The Kremlin believes the Russian-American summit in Bratislava will add dynamism to talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Sergei Prikhodko, the Russian president's aide, told reporters the talks were entering their final phase.

"We have settled main problems. However, there are issues that need to be discussed by national leaders. We believe the Bratislava summit will hopefully make the process of preparations for Russia's accession to the WTO more dynamic," said Mr. Prikhodko.

A Kremlin official indicated that the United States had advanced a series of "objective claims" to Russia.

The U.S., for example, is not happy with the observance of intellectual property rights in Russia, the scale of pirated audio and video products manufacture and sales, and access to the Russian services market.

"The Americans are absolutely right here. We will instruct our negotiators to discuss these problems," said the source.

However, a series of demands, for example, for Russia's insurance market and access to the sphere of long distance telecommunications are too steep, indicated the official.

"Russia needs a transitional period," said the official. He said Russian and American negotiators had come to terms on macroeconomic indices, on energy resources prices, and said Russia and the U.S. might sign a document on the termination of talks on entry to the WTO in late 2005.

In late January, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick confirmed Washington's plans to complete bilateral talks before the end of 2005.

Maxim Medvedkov, the director of the Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry's trade talks department, who leads the Russian delegation at WTO talks, believes Russia and the U.S. can sign the document earlier.

"I personally believe this will take place earlier," Mr. Medvedkov told reporters after talks in Geneva in mid February.

Russia and the U.S. have again managed to advance on whole range of issues during that round, according to Mr. Medvedkov.

"We have seen possible compromises on financial services as well," said Mr. Medvedkov.

"The final package is far not completed, but this is a usual negotiating process," he said.