http://www.ytwhw.com/2011/0330/US-Rep-Levin-Sees-Barriers-To-Russian-WTO-Entry.html
By XiaoBing 2011-03-30 12:31:13 AM GMT +0800
(YTWHW.com) - Russia will need to overcome a number of barriers to join the World Trade Organization this year, a top U.S. House Democrat said Tuesday, calling the country's treatment of dissidents "unacceptable."
Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, told an audience in Washington that there are still concerns about Russia's intellectual property protections, as well as trade in agricultural products.
"The problems have to be worked out and necessary changes made," Levin said.
He also expressed disapproval of Russia's human rights record, questioning the lack of an open judiciary system and crackdowns on those who speak out against the government.
"Their handling of those who dissent is unacceptable and very worrisome," Levin said.
Russian officials have expressed hope they could join the WTO this year, though some U.S. and European officials have expressed skepticism that such a timetable is realistic.
Write to XiaoBing edit-xiaobing@ytwhw.com
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/russia-usa-trade-idUSN2910815320110329
Tue, Mar 29 2011
* Russia rights record expected to color trade debate
* Obama administration strongly backs Russia's WTO bid
* WTO entry requires Congress vote on trade relations
WASHINGTON, March 29 (Reuters) - The White House will have a difficult, but not impossible, job persuading Congress to approve permanent normal trade relations with Russia because of human rights concerns, a senior U.S. lawmaker said on Tuesday.
"I think in the end, if the economic issues are resolved, the likelihood is that PNTR will be passed -- with a lot of debate," said Representative Sander Levin, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee.
The United States has permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with all but a few countries. It means they are entitled to the same tariff treatment that most other countries enjoy, without that being subject to a periodic review.
In a preview of what the White House can expect, Levin criticized the Russian judicial system for a lack of fair and open trials and said the Russian government's handling of "those who dissent is unacceptable and very worrisome."
"People are being killed there for exercising their basic rights," Levin said in remarks at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
President Barack Obama, as part of a broader effort to "reset" relations with Russia, has given strong backing to Moscow's hope this year of finally joining the World Trade Organization after more than 15 years of negotiations.
If that happens, the United States would be required under WTO rules to repeal a Cold War-era provision known as the Jackson-Vanik amendment that tied U.S. trade relations with Russia to rights of Jews and other religious minorities to freely emigrate.
Russia has been in compliance with the provision for years, so it currently has no practical impact on trade.
But if U.S. lawmakers refused to repeal the provision and grant permanent normal trade relations, Russia would be entitled to deny U.S. companies all of the market-opening concessions it made to join the WTO.
That concerns some business leaders who believe Congress should approve PNTR for Russia even before it joins the WTO.
Levin dismissed that possibility.
"The only handle that the Congress has is PNTR. So that's why we've refused to give it up," he said.
The Democrat said the Obama administration should not sign off on Russia's admission to the WTO until a number of remaining issues are resolved.
Those include agriculture, intellectual property rights and potentially automotive concerns, he said.
(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Deborah Charles)
US abandons didactic manner in Russia-US relations
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=16100667&PageNum=0
30.03.2011, 09.27
WASHINGTON, March 30 (Itar-Tass) - The United States abandoned the didactic manner towards Russia that is one of the main positive results in ‘the reset’ of bilateral relations, chairman of the State Duma Committee for Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev told reporters here on Tuesday.
“The didactic tone disappeared in our relations. We have witnessed it on part of the U.S. in the past few years. Now we still have some disagreements, but the essential difference is that now this does no hamper us to conduct the dialogue and cooperate really on those issues, in which we have no disagreements and our interests are close,” the Russian lawmaker noted.
Kosachev also noted the cooperation between “18 working groups under the bilateral presidential commission, most of which already started working.” “The work in these groups lays an interesting groundwork for the future,” he pointed out.
The Russian lawmaker does not see any negative results in the reset process. “The only thing that can be discussed is whether we succeeded to realize all our plans for more than two years. Probably not, because the feeling of satisfaction could have been much greater. However, very much has been done,” he underlined.
Russia,US may ease visa regime – MP
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/03/30/48169229.html
Mar 30, 2011 07:07 Moscow Time
Russia and the United States may ease or even cancel visa regime soon, Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the State Duma's international affairs committee said on Tuesday.
Earlier reports said Russia was persuading the US to sign a deal to scrap visas for visits lasting under 90 days. Kosachev said the idea might be implemented in the foreseeable future, at least where it comes to easing visa issuance procedures.
Speaking at the World Russian Forum annual conference in Washington Kosachev suggested using the same negotiating practice Russia already has with the EU.
Share with your friends: | 
