Ex-Soviet states form WTO accession group

The governments of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia on Wednesday formed a group of negotiators for talks with the World Trade Organization (WTO), BelaPAN reported.

The three ex-Soviet countries, which are working to establish a customs union, in June announced plans to seek joint accession to the WTO. The Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia is expected to come into existence on January 1, 2010.


Maksim Medvedkov, director of the trade talks department at the Russian economy ministry, was appointed the group’s head.