Putin believes Russia could join the WTO in 2011

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin believes Russia could join the WTO in 2011. "I think it is entirely possible and we would like to see it happen. There are almost no unresolved issues left," he said at a news conference in Berlin. He also drew attention to the fact that the rules under which the Common Economic Space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was being established "are almost identical to those implemented by and used in the WTO." He indicated that once the Common Economic Space were established, the Customs Union's accession to the WTO would probably be much easier. "We have taken this work upon ourselves and will complete it shortly," Putin concluded.