Russia will decide whether to join the WTO individually or as part of a customs union after completing talks with the U.S. in 2010, Kremlin economic aide Arkady Dvorkovich said on Tuesday.

The presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia signed a package of deals on November 27 to create a customs union with common tariffs, paving the way for a single economic space.

"I believe the U.S. has the intention to complete negotiations next year," Dvorkovich said, adding that the talks with the U.S. were slow as some disagreements still persisted.

Russia has been attempting to enter the WTO for over 16 years. Russia is the only major economically sustainable country that has so far not received membership. Other countries such as Cuba and some ex-Soviet states are already members.

In June 2009, the heads of governments of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus decided to notify the World Trade Organization of their intention to join the world trade club as a customs union. The three ex-Soviet republics suspended their bilateral negotiations on the WTO entry to hold consultations on a common position on the customs union.

In October 2009, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus announced they would resume talks on WTO accession separately but on harmonized positions.

MOSCOW, December 8 (RIA Novosti)