Russia’s admission to the World Trade Organization will facilitate the liberalization of trade and investment, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.

“I believe that the G20 countries need to show leadership and do all they can to expedite the liberalization of trade and investment,” he told a G20 summit.

“I’m sure that Russia’s long-overdue admission to the WTO could become a good contribution to a common cause.”

That would benefit not only Russia, but also all of her partners, he added.

Medvedev said he hoped Russia would join the WTO before the end of the current year and that would be “good news.”

Russia has endeavored to join the WTO since 1993. The last remaining obstacle to its admission is Georgia, which has refused to give Russia the go-ahead since the two countries fought a brief war in August 2008 when Georgia attacked South Ossetia to bring it back under Tbilisi's central control. After the war, Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another ex-Georgian republic, Abkhazia.

Maxim Medvedkov, Russia’s chief WTO negotiator, said on Wednesday Moscow has resolved all outstanding WTO related issues with Tbilisi, a claim promptly denied by Georgia.