Russia Threatens U.S. Over WTO Talks

Russian Trade Minister German Gref (right) with Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin (file photo) (ITAR-TASS)
August 17, 2006 -- Russia has threatened to withdraw preferences given to U.S. meat imports if the two countries fail to reach an agreement over Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by October.

Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref is reported to have made the warning in a letter sent to U.S. authorities.

Russia and the United States failed to agree on terms for Moscow's WTO entry at a G8 summit in July.

(AFP, Interfax)