Russia incompatible with WTO- Godmanis

Jul 08, 2008
TBT staff and wire reports

RIGA- Russia’s announcement of its plan to cease the export of oil products and coal through the ports of the Baltics does not correspond to Russia’s desire to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis said during the show 900 seconds on Latvian television.

"Russia wishes to join WTO, it has not recalled its wish. These two things do not go together, it is some kind of discrimination -- sending to one port and not sending to other ones and applying different tariffs," the prime minister said.

Godmanis added that Latvia is for practical relations.

“We are for having market relations, which was underscored by the Russian government representatives at the meting of the Baltic Sea countries here. We are for strengthening the contractual base and we are for Russian ascension to PTO, which would simplify things."

Last week the television channel Rosija informed the public of the statement of Russian Vice-Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov regarding Russia having to cease the export of  oil products and coal through the Baltic ports.

"We have.. a task -- of fully discontinuing oil and coal exports through the Baltic States and increasing the capacity of doing it through our ports, to receive equipment, food and other cargos," Ivanov said during the naval issues board session of Russia’s government in St Petersburg.

Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin in reply to Ivanov's question said "at present 80 percent of cargo going through the ports of the Baltic States are oil products." "In 2015 we will have enough of our own capacities to reload these products."