Georgian wine imports unrelated to Russian accession to WTO - Onishchenko
MOSCOW. Nov 17 (Interfax) - The Russian admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) does not guarantee the automatic resumption of Georgian wine imports, Chief Public Health Official Gennady Onishchenko told a Thursday press conference at the Interfax main office.
"The WTO mechanism allows our country to take exclusive measures, and it [Georgian wine] may return here without the WTO," he said.
Asked about the time of Russia's admission to the WTO, Onishchenko said that the document, which might be signed by the WTO economy ministers, would be ratified six months after.
"If the WTO economy ministers sign the protocol, the ratification will take place six months later, in June. Those who want that product [Georgian wine] so bad might have it earlier," Onishchenko said.