AMSTERDAM, November 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia hopes that an agreement on investment protection will be signed soon with the Netherlands, the minister of agriculture said in the Dutch capital Tuesday.
According to Alexei Gordeyev, Russian and Dutch experts had failed to coordinate the text of the agreement.
"We have signed most model agreements, including with European Union nations. But the Netherlands is against signing a model document," the minister said, adding that the country wanted to secure certain preferences from Russia in investment protection.
The minister also said that Putin, currently on a state visit to the Netherlands, had told Dutch businessmen Tuesday that Russia could not introduce such preferences.
"If we introduce preferences to the Netherlands, then we will have to extend these preferences to other countries in line with World Trade Organization requirements, and this would make no sense," Gordeyev quoted Putin as saying.
"The president put an end to speculation, which will make it possible to sign a [relevant] agreement," he said.
