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Bush takes under control Russia-U.S. WTO talks

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WASHINGTON, March 7 (RIA Novosti) - U.S. President George W. Bush has taken under his personal control the completion of Russia-U.S. talks on the former's accession to the WTO, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday.

Sergei Lavrov said after talks with the president that he had confirmed Washington's wish to finish the negotiations as soon as possible and had taken the issue "under his personal control".

Lavrov also discussed this issue with U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice, who said the United States wanted to see Russia in the World Trade Organization.

After a meeting with Lavrov, Rice said Russia was a growing economy and therefore had to be a member of the body governing global trade, which, she said, would be good for the global economy.

However, Rice said the decision to admit Russia into the WTO had to be approved by both the White House and then the Congress.

She also said that a few questions remained to be coordinated, including with regard to agriculture.

At the same time, Lavrov expressed concerns over the slow progress in the Russia-U.S. talks on the WTO.

"The U.S. remains the only country with whom Russia has not signed a bilateral agreement," the Russian minister said.

According to Lavrov, Russia has been pushing to abolish the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which has long become "a household phrase". The amendment links U.S. trade benefits, known as Normal Trade Relations, to the emigration and human rights policies of communist or formerly communist countries.

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