THE EUROPEAN UNION'S TRADE CHIEF SAID ON FRIDAY THAT BRUSSELS WANTS RUSSIA TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION (WTO) BUT IS NOT READY TO AGREE TO LETTING IT IN JUST YET, REUTERS REPORTED. TRADE COMMISSIONER PETER MANDELSON SAID THERE WERE DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN EU MEMBER STATES AND RUSSIA THAT NEEDED TO BE IRONED OUT BEFORE IT COULD JOIN THE 149-NATION WTO. "THE EU AND RUSSIA ALREADY HAVE A BILATERAL AGREEMENT ON WTO ACCESSION, BUT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THAT AGREEMENT WHICH IN OUR VIEW ARE NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED FULLY OR ADEQUATELY," MANDELSON TOLD A SEMINAR IN FINLAND. "THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, THEY NEED TO BE PUT RIGHT, BEFORE THE EUROPEAN UNION IS ABLE, FINALLY, TO SIGN OFF ON RUSSIA'S ACCESSION," HE SAID, WITHOUT ELABORATING. RUSSIA, BY FAR THE BIGGEST ECONOMY STILL OUTSIDE THE WTO, HAS BEEN NEGOTIATING ENTRY FOR 13 YEARS.
