RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/SPEC/RUS/4
23October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4427)
Original: English
ACCESSION OFTHE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Statement
byMr.G.V. Gabounia, Deputy Minister ofExternal Economic Relations,
atthemeeting oftheWorking Party ontheAccession oftheRussian Federation,
heldon15October 1996
Distinguished Mr.Chairman, distinguished Representatives ofmembers oftheWorking Party.
Attheconclusion oftheprevious meeting, anunderstanding wasreached thattheexisting stock
ofinformation onRussia 'sforeign trade régime allows themembers oftheWorking Party toswitch
fromgeneral discussion onthesubjects toamore detailed examination ofselected items ofparticular
interest. Inthisrespect, thefollowing items oftheagenda wereidentified fordiscussion atthepresent
meeting: non-tariff measures, customs valuation andrecent developments inRussian legislation, and
thiswasconfirmed atthefollowing consultations. Thedocuments prepared bytheRussian delegation
ontheabove-mentioned subjects areinfront ofmembers oftheWorking Party.
Wearefullyaware ofhowcomplicated areagricultural questions. Thisisthereason why
wewould liketodiscuss tomorrow ataninformal session oftheWorking Party thedocuments on
agricultural matters which havebeenprepared byus.
Iwould liketostress thatdespite therelatively short timeperiod, theRussian Federation has
prepared eight newsubstantial documents andmaterial forthepresent session oftheWorking Party,
which onceagain proves Russia 'sintention tomove forward constantly. Besides, Russia hasprepared
written answers toquestions received afterthethirdmeeting oftheWorking Party, including questions
received wellaftertheestablished deadline.
Mr.Chairman,
RecentpresidentialelectionsinRussiademonstratedthatthepopulationofourcountry,regardless
ofobjective economic difficulties, stands initsmajority forthecontinuation ofmarket reforms. The
newly formed government continues thework onachieving macroeconomic stabilization andcreating
conditions forfuture economic growth (thissubject willbeaddressed inmore detail bytheFirstDeputy
Minister ofEconomy, Mr.IvanMaterov). Anintegral partofthiscourse istheintegration ofour
country intotheworld trading system, prompt accession totheWTO, enlargement anddiversification
ofRussia 'sforeign economic relations.
Following thedecline inexternal economic relations ofRussia in1991-1993, there wasan
upward trend inthissector ofnational economy in1994-1996. Theshare ofexports inGDP which
describes acountry 'sparticipation intheinternational division oflabour, increased from 7percent
in1991-1993 to22percentin1995. Welinksuchanincrease withpositive institutional andlegislative
developments inRussia, modernization ofmonetary andfinancial system andlegalbasis forforeign
economic activities.
./.WT/ACC/SPEC/RUS/4
Page2
During thefirstsixmonths of1996, Russia 'sforeign tradeturnover increased by8.3percent
incomparison withthecorresponding period of1995.
Theelasticity coefficient oftrade turnover toGDP was1.11, which proves anopen nature
oftheRussian economy.
Ihopethatourdistinguishedcolleagueshavehadanopportunitytoexamineadetaileddescription
ofnon-tariff measures applied byRussia onexport andimport ofagricultural products, aswellason
imports ofindustrial goods, which havebeenprepared bytheRussian delegation.
Thelegislative basis ofmarket relations isbeing developed. Wecould discuss thisissue in
detail under paragraph (iii)oftheagenda. Iwould liketopoint outthatin1996theFederal Law"On
State Regulation ofForeign Trade Activity" wasfullyeffected. Thislawdetermines theprinciples
ofState regulation offoreign trade, therights, obligations andresponsibilities ofState authorities of
theRussian Federation andbodies ofsubjects oftheRussian Federation inthefieldofforeign trade
activities.
Mr.Chairman,
Looking tothefuture, weareworking atthesametimeonpreparation ofanegotiating package,
which wehopetocomplete inthenearfuture taking intoaccount, interalia,theresults ofthissession.
Inconclusion, Mr.Chairman, letmeintroduce themembers oftheRussian delegation:
A.I.Kolossovsky Permanent Representative oftheRussian Federation totheOffice of
theUNandother international organizations inGeneva (Deputy Head
ofthedelegation)
I.S.Materov FirstDeputy Minister ofEconomy (Deputy Head ofthedelegation)
V.A. Galdine Head ofDepartment, State Customs Committee (SCC)
R.G. Tomberg Head ofDepartment, Ministry ofForeign Economic Relations
L.I.Kholod Head ofDepartment, Ministry ofAgriculture andFoodstuffs
V.N. Otrokhov Head ofDepartment, State Committee onStandardization
AgroupofRussianexpertsandcollaboratorsofthePermanentMissionoftheRussianFederation
inGeneva isalsopresent inthishall.
Mr.Chairman,
Letmewelcome Mr.IvanMaterov, FirstDeputy Minister ofEconomy, forashortintroductory
noteonmarket reforms intheRussian economy.
Thankyouforyourattention.Ihopethatbothtoday'sofficialpartofthesessionandtomorrow's
unofficial discussion ofagricultural issues willbeheldinthesame constructive spirit asthepreceding
sessions oftheWorking Party.