Moscow should first “resolve some very serious issues” before expecting Tbilisi’s backing for its WTO entry, Davit Bakradze, the Georgian foreign minister, said on February 7.

“We are not against Russia’s WTO membership,” he told reporters. “We think that membership of this organization would help Russia to have more civilized trade relations with neighboring countries, including Georgia. But there are several very serious issues outstanding and as long as they remain unresolved, Georgia will find it very difficult to agree to Russia’s accession.”
 
He said talks on the matter with the Russian side were expected sometime this month.

Tbilisi has been insisting on several preconditions for supporting Russia’s WTO accession, including the legalization of trade at two border crossing points - one in breakaway South Ossetia (Roki Tunnel) and another in breakaway Abkhazia (Gantiadi). Moscow, however, claims the demands are politically-motivated and should be beyond the scope of WTO talks.