Russia still has to make clear to the U.S. where it stands on the World Trade Organization (WTO), a senior Russian diplomat said.
Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov visited the United States to discuss bilateral cooperation with top U.S. officials, including Robert Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, and William Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
Denisov's meeting with Hormats was held in the framework of an economic dialogue between the Russian Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Department of State.
"We have discussed the situation with Russia's accession to the WTO. Of course, our partners need a better understanding of our approaches, especially in circumstances when a Customs Union [of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan]... is up and running," Denisov said.
"There has been no lack of goodwill on the part of the partners, but this goodwill needs, of course, to be converted into practical results," he added.
Russia has been seeking WTO membership since 1993, and is the only major economy outside of the global trade body.
In June 2009, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan notified the WTO of their intention to join the world trade club as a customs union.
Four months later, the three former Soviet republics announced they would resume talks on WTO accession separately, but working from synchronized positions.
Denisov noted the need for close cooperation with the United States on Russia's long-running bid to join the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
In May 2007, the OECD meeting at ministerial level ruled to invite Russia to begin accession talks.
"Here is another case when we are trying to join a multilateral format, but our bilateral relations with the United States as a key player ... are of principal significance," Denisov said.
Denisov's visit also included discussions of the 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Russia's Vladivostok.
The diplomat said Russia should start getting ready for the summit as well as drawing up priorities concerning APEC.
Denisov and the U.S. officials also discussed the prospect of a Russia-U.S. agreement on promoting and protecting bilateral investment.
WASHINGTON, April 3 (RIA Novosti)
