MOSCOW, January 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization would strengthen competition and boost the national economy, an economics expert said Friday.

Accession to the WTO was "certainly a test" for Russia, said Yevgeny Yasin, head of research at the country's Higher School of Economics. But the WTO was "also a school that will allow us to find a proper place in the modern world."

Russia would experience certain difficulties adapting to the WTO's rules, Yasin said. "However, it will be extremely beneficial for Russia," he added. "The WTO rules are the rules of civilized market behavior."

An official from the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development said earlier that Russia was hoping to complete bilateral talks on its WTO accession within two months.

Yasin also said that Russian manufacturers should adopt more aggressive trade strategies. "According to surveys, the 12%-15% of companies that enter external markets and have ties, partners or competitors abroad are the most active," he said. "Such companies should constitute the majority."

Competitiveness and the ability to manufacture goods that could dominate specific segments of the market, both at home and abroad, was a priority for Russian companies, he said.