Putin has expressed several times in the last few years that joining WTO (World Trade Organization) is not worth hurting Russia over. I personally see what it has done to America and other countries. All you have to do is open your eyes and look. Putin is correct. WTO should be helpful not hurtful…
Drawing a line in the sand: that’s essentially what Prime Minister Vladimir Putin did the other day speaking at the opening of a major new steel plant. At Magnitigorsk’s new steel mill Mr Putin said that the country would not abandon its commitments to the country’s auto manufacturers just for the sake of WTO membership. Currently Moscow is in tough negotiations with the World Trade Organization about Russia’s hopefully impending accession to the global trading body. Russia remains by far the largest economy outside of the WTO, with talks having gone on for nearly two decades now. It was thought that coming into 2011 that Russia was on the verge of joining the organization, but so far this year little new progress has been made. Certain government programs to stimulate domestic production have concerned some nations already in the WTO. Crucially, an agreement to significantly cut import duties on car components in exchange for foreign makers agreeing to localize production has worried some in the EU and US. Specifically, manufacturers got the discount if they agreed to churn out some 300,000 cars a year, and promised that 60 percent of the production would take place in Russia. EU and American officials are pushing for Russia to drop the localization requirement, arguing that it limits truly free trade. However Mr Putin has said that it won’t sacrifice certain goals simply for the sake of joining the WTO. The PM said, and I quote, “…our position here is unwavering. This is the red line that we will not cross because we cannot give up the interests of our producers.”
Russia needs to stay on her two feet and not try to mimic the collapsing Western financial world. The WTO is just another ball and chain around the worlds neck. Part of the issues with the Western world collapse is the WTO…
I have watched Putin allow Medvedev to try to progress with the WTO application but as always the pressure against Russia is vast and really Russia needs to forget the WTO. The West really does not want Russia in it, as if it is some fancy club or something and only the elite get in. After 20 years of trying…
Russia has now started to look seriously at the repercussions if America financially collapses. The writing is on the wall and Russia is and has been trying to figure out how to survive the Western world financial collapse that seems to be looming on the horizon…
Putin is one that sees what is coming and knows that you must protect Russia’s producers…
Windows to Russia!