Russia expects to complete negotiations on its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2010, a Kremlin economic adviser said on Wednesday.

"Few substantive problems remain and negotiations can be concluded within several months," Arkady Dvorkovich said in an interview with Vesti 24 TV news channel.

Dvorkovich said it was still premature to speak about whether Russia would join the world's trade club in 2010. "This decision will be made after the completion of the substantive part of the negotiations."

Russia has been negotiating to enter the WTO for over 16 years, and is the only major economy not to have joined. Several former Soviet countries, and communist states such as China and Cuba, are already members.

Dvorkovich said the creation of a customs union between the former Soviet republics of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would not impede their accession to the world trade club.

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.

"There are two accession options - as part of the customs union or separately. Accession through the customs union creates certain organizational difficulties for the WTO about which our [WTO] partners have notified us," Dvorkovich said.

In June 2009, the heads of governments of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus notified the WTO 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 synchronized positions.

MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti)