The President expressed some criticism over the way negotiations with Russia on accession to the WTO are proceeding, noting that “heightened demands are sometimes asked” of Russia. Mr Putin thanked the APEC countries for their support but said he is hoping for “more concrete results.”
The President called on the APEC countries to join their efforts in fighting trade protectionism and other restrictive measures, pointing out that both old and new types of protectionism lead to a chain reaction that limits competition and deals a blow to developing countries.
Mr Putin expressed support for the idea of conducting an informal and open dialogue on major economic problems both within the APEC framework and at in other formats, including in the World Trade Organisation.