Georgia warns about possible failure of WTO talks with Russia over Lavrov's remark
TBILISI. April 27 (Interfax) - The remark of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Russia can join WTO without the consent of Georgia may undermine talks between Moscow and Tbilisi due in the next few days, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergi Kapanadze believes.
At a Wednesday briefing in Tbilisi the ministry spokesman said that such remarks "do not promote the successful completion of talks resuming in Switzerland this week and even threaten these talks with failure."
The second round of Russian-Georgian talks on Russia's accession to WTO is due in Berne on April 28-29. The first round took place in the same place in March. At the talks Georgia insists on legalizing its customs posts on the Abkhazia and South Ossetian sections of the Russian border.
Meanwhile, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Tina Kaidanow has said that the United States supports Russia's accession to WTO. The process of talks between Russia and Georgia on the matter has been launched and we believe that these countries will be able to take a step forward during the upcoming talks, she told the press in Tbilisi where she arrived for a brief visit.
On Tuesday Lavrov said in Sukhumi that Russia may join WTO even without the consent of Georgia.
