Proud bird

Russia is ready to renounce its WTO membership as early as early November 2006. Vladimir Putin stated this in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. According to the Russian president, if there is no progress in the near future, Russia will not seek membership in the organization. Meanwhile, it seems that Russia is only playing to insult. The country is doing everything not to join the WTO - in particular, it is constantly abandoning previously accepted obligations. The situation should become clearer on November 18-19 at the APEC summit, when negotiations between the heads of the Russian Federation and the United States will take place.