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Putin wants EU to back Belarus' WTO entry bid

The European Union must support Kazakhstan and Belarus in their bids to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters during a Russia-EU summit in St.Petersburg on June 4.

Mr. Putin said that the establishment of the Customs Union and Common Economic Zone of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia would not interfere with Moscow's intention to seek closer economic ties with the EU. He said that trade rules within the economic blocs were based on the WTO principles. "Moreover, our partners - both Kazakhstan and Belarus - have made an unprecedented decision and agreed to accept the rules and terms of Russia's accession to the WTO," Russia's news agency RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

Mr. Putin described the move as "courageous." "And I think the European Union must also take this into consideration and provide every kind of support to these countries' efforts to join the World Trade Organization," he was quoted as saying. //BelaPAN