DAVOS (Switzerland), January 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and Switzerland completed bilateral talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization and signed the relevant agreement Friday.
The agreement was signed by Russian Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref and the chief of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Joseph Deiss.
The United States, Australia, and Colombia are the only countries of the 58 members of the Working Party on Russia's accession to the WTO that have thus far not backed its bid at bilateral talks.
Deiss said Switzerland considered it important that Russia join the organization and had supported its WTO bid from the beginning.
He added that once Russia had been admitted to the WTO, the two countries would be able to continue talks on specific bilateral agreements.
"We are happy that we managed to come to terms. I must admit that Switzerland made concessions for us," Gref said in turn, adding that today's talks had been the most difficult.
He said today's agreement stipulated the conclusions that had been reached at the WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December 2004.
On Thursday, Gref met with U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the club of the world's business elite, in talks that did not yield an agreement.
"The main question that remains on the agenda is financial services," Gref said Thursday.
The United States has insisted that American banks and insurance companies be given access to Russia's financial services market as a condition for Russia's WTO membership. Russia said access to its financial services would create unequal competitive conditions for Russian and other foreign companies currently operating in the country.
On Friday, Gref said Russia was turning its focus to multilateral accession talks and would try to complete them as soon as possible.
The minister said Russia planned to complete WTO talks before the end of 2006, although it would not be easy.
