?I would call the thing that the Americans are doing in negotiations with Russia extortion at the gate,? the expert said. ?They are trying to use this situation in order to get preferential treatment for themselves, which I consider to be highly unjust,? Stiglitz stressed.
The expert also noted that accession to the World Trade Organization is in Russia?s interests. ?WTO accession is doubtlessly in Russia?s interest. Overall Russia should take part in as many international organizations as possible,? the U.S. expert said. In his opinion all of the countries that want to join the international trade organization should be allowed to do so without any additional conditions presented by its old members.
Earlier a source in the Russian government told RIA Novosti that Russia?s accession to the WTO may be delayed by as much as a year if Moscow and Washington fail to agree on key points of dispute ? level of customs tariffs for passenger aircraft and access to Russia?s financial services market. ?If we don?t reach an agreement, this will delay Russia?s WTO accession to anywhere from six months to a year. But most likely it will be for a year,? the agency?s source said.
