Rustam Minnikhanov meets with WTO Director General

The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov has met with Director General of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy at the Kazan Kremlin. Director of the Department for external relations under the RT President – Aide to RT President Iskander Muflikhanov, Vice-premier – Minister of industry and trade Ravil Zaripov, Vice-premier – Minister of agriculture and foodstuff Marat Akhmetov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shamil Ageev attended the meeting.

Pascal Lamy is taking part in events within the framework of APEC forum in Kazan. The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov thanked head of the WTO for his visit to Kazan. He noted that Russia is at the final stage of entering the World Trade Organization. Rustam Minnikhanov believes that Russia must be integrated into the world economy, and the role of the WTO is very important.

According to Rustam Minnikhanov, the republican leadership discusses issues of entering the WTO. “Export makes 50 % of the Tatarstan economy. Thus, we have to find new markets. However, some of our industries require modernization in order to be competent at global markets,” the Tatarstan leader says. He underlines that before Russia’s entering the World Trade Organization efforts on increasing competitiveness of agro-industrial sector and modernization of some mechanical engineering enterprises should be made in republic.

Director General of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy said that entering the WTO would not do harm to Russia. “15 countries have entered the WTO during the period of my management. None of them has faces problems afterwards. The biggest challenge for Russia may be transparence of laws and regulations, though it should increase the inflow of direct foreign investments in the country,” Pascal Lamy said.

Pascal Lamy asked the Tatarstan President about practices in attracting foreign investments. Rustam Minnikhanov told about foreign projects which have been implemented and are under realization.

The WTO Director General promised to render support on organizational issues connected with forthcoming Russia’s entering the World Trade Organization. Pascal Lamy invited the RT President and the Tatarstan delegation to visit the headquarters in Geneva to discuss mentioned issues properly.