MOSCOW, November 3 (RIA Novosti) - If Russia joins the WTO before Ukraine, it will not try to obstruct Ukraine's accession, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said Thursday.
Mikhail Kamynin was responding to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov's comment that Ukraine's WTO accession would be practically impossible if Russia were to become a member of the organization first.
"Not only will we not put any obstacles in the way of Ukraine, but on the contrary, we will support in all possible ways its swift accession to the organization on Kiev's conditions," Kamynin said.
Kamynin said the Ukrainian premier's comments, reported in the media, had puzzled Moscow.
"It is strange to hear such words from our strategic partner," he said. "Russia aims to further develop trade and economic links with Ukraine, and joint constructive work, and that includes issues related to WTO accession."
The two countries must coordinate their positions on the issue to improve both their chances of joining the organization because of the "mutual dependence of the two countries' economies," he said, adding that Moscow hoped to hear similar signals from Kiev.
