NOV. 8 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – So, finally after months of on-off talks in Switzerland, Georgian and Russian negotiators agreed a deal that should allow Russia to join the WTO by the end of the year. Russia started negotiations to join the WTO in 1993, so it’s been a long journey.

As a member of the 153-nation WTO, Georgia had the right to veto Russia’s membership and, sensing an opportunity to extract concessions, it has played its cards heavily.

After the deal, Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s president, was quick to highlight what he considered was a diplomatic victory.

“What we have achieved today is a very important acknowledgment of what Georgia’s customs borders are,” he said on national television.

But was it really such an outstanding victory?

In return for accepting Russia’s membership in the WTO, Georgia won a concession to allow a private company to position observers on the Russian border with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The observers will monitor trade in and out of both Georgia’s rebel regions.

This is more than the Russians originally offered but under pressure from the Europeans and the Americans who both want Russia to join the WTO, Georgia also had to make compromises.

The finer details of the deal haven’t been released yet but when they are it will be clearer whether Mr Saakashvili’s grand standing it justified.

ENDS

OCT. 31 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – After months of negotiations, diplomats said Georgia and Russia were nearing a deal which would allow Russia to join the WTO. Media reports said Georgia had accepted the Swiss compromise deal although Russia had requested more time. No details of the deal were available.

ENDS