THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS REJECTED ACCUSATIONS MADE BY RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN THAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS TRY TO DERAIL RUSSIA'S BID TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO). U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE ROB PORTMAN SAID HIS GOVERNMENT WAS WORKING THROUGH 'COMPLEX' BILATERAL ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA, THOUGH HE NOTED 'STEADY PROGRESS' HAD BEEN MADE. IN RESPONSE TO PUTIN'S ACCUSATIONS, PORTMAN SAID THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES WITH RUSSIA'S WTO ACCESSION BID ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE ADDRESSED BY OTHER COUNTRIES ALREADY IN THE WTO. 'WE HOPE AND BELIEVE WE ARE CLOSE TO CONCLUDING OUR BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS,' HE SAID IN A STATEMENT. PORTMAN SAID THE U.S. REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT CUSTOMS REGULATIONS, IMPORTED FOOD STANDARDS, AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. 'CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMITMENT OF PRESIDENT BUSH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE RUSSIANS TO MOVE THIS PROCESS FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION,' PORTMAN SAID. RUSSIA LAUNCHED ITS BID TO JOIN THE WTO IN 1993, BUT HAS YET TO SIGN BILATERAL DEALS WITH THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND COLOMBIA. --SP 12 16 LOCAL TIME 09 16 GMT
