Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said here Tuesday that he hopes Russia could finish the World Trade Organization (WTO) accession negotiation by the end of this year, Xinhua reported.
Putin made the remarks in an interview with Chinese media after his talks with Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing.
Putin said Russia is ready to join the WTO.
He said Russia has completely reformed its legal system in accordance with WTO regulations and has solved all problems with major negotiation partners. "The one last thing is political problem."
If the European Union and the United States are willing to see Russia's entry into the WTO, the process will be very quick, Putin said.
Russia, which has sought WTO membership for the past 18 years, is the largest economy being excluded from the global trade organization.
Putin arrived in Beijing Tuesday for a two-day official visit to China.

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