Russia is unlikely to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the projected date of January 1, 2011, though the country will make all possible efforts to fulfill this goal, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"We want to join the WTO and are doing everything we can to achieve this... But, in all honesty, I do not believe it will happen by January 1 next year," Putin said.
Russia is the only major economy outside of the global trade body and has been in negotiations for membership for 17 years.
This summer Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he hoped Russia would complete negotiations on its accession to the WTO by yearend.
MOSCOW, September 21 (RIA Novosti)
