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Georgia says ready to continue WTO talks with Russia

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Georgia's deputy foreign minister dismissed on Monday Russian media rumors that Georgia has broken off talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Georgia's deputy foreign minister dismissed on Monday Russian media rumors that Georgia has broken off talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

"Negotiations are in process and their continuation is in our best interests," Nino Kalandadze said.

Russia is the only major economy still outside the organization but Georgia says it will not allow Russia to join unless it cedes control of customs in the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Kalandadze said the second round of talks would begin in around six weeks. The first round, now complete, was resumed on March 10, 2011 after being suspended for almost three years.

The European Union gave its formal backing to the entry bid in December last year after Russia agreed to trim timber export duties and rail freight tariffs.

Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia in August 2008 when Moscow recognized the independence of the two former Georgian republics following a five-day war, which started when Georgia attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

TBILISI, March 21 (RIA Novosti) 

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