Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri recently visited the USA, where he supposedly stated that Georgia would no longer impede Russia joining the WTO.
Until recently the position of Tbilisi has been one of the most
serious obstacles in the way of Russia joining the WTO. Georgia's
objections amount to a statement that Russia violates the WTO Charter
by trading with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, bypassing Georgia.
Meanwhile, the head of the Russian delegation at the negotiations on
entering the WTO, Maksim Medvedkov, has recently said that Russia can
join the WTO without Georgia’s consent. However, according to him,
this way of accession would debase the image of Russia. In fact, it appeared that information about Georgia’s consent to Russia entering the WTO was untrue.
It seems that it would be more reasonable for Georgia to raise the
question of lifting the Russian embargo on the import of Georgian
wine, Borjomi mineral water and agricultural products, rather than
about the former autonomies. In the sight of the WTO members this
discriminatory policy of Russia is a much more convincing argument for
objections than a doubtful customs matter.
Russia expects that, within the “reset” of Russian and American
relations, the USA will help to convince Georgia to yield. However,
these expectations haven’t been satisfied yet.
Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to VK.
