The governmental decree according to which import duties on import of beef meat over established quota will be sharply reduced appeared in Russia. This measure, in reality directed on encouragement of import of beef from the countries of Latin America for covering of deficiency in home market, would be possible to welcome but for one "but".
The system of quoting of import of meat of beef, pork and bird after signing by Gref's department of the notorious Russian-American agreement on meat from 2005 and confirmed in November, 2006 in Hanoi, gives unreasonable preferencies to the USA and to the countries of the European Union where sometimes there is simply no necessary quantity of the goods of the meat group permitted to import to Russia but which can influence Russia’s introduction into the World trading organization.
FORUM.msk repeatedly opposed the hasty introduction of the country into WTO on the discrimination conditions, which will be profitable only to a group of oligarches like Mordashev and courchevel Prokhorov but extremely pernicious for the overwhelming majority of branches of the domestic industry and agriculture. However, the Kremlin put courchevel demands of Prokhorov above the interests of domestic economy therefore corresponding act on WTO with the USA was signed during the summit of the countries APR in Vietnam at Putin and Bush's presence.
Meanwhile, in the countries of Latin America - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia which became victims of discrimination in the Russian meat market, discontent with those preferencies which had been given by Gref to Americans and Europeans at their expense accumulated. Really, already in 2003-2006 from Latin America to Russia was imported up to 90% of all import of meat of beef and pork and 25% of fowl. In 2006, however, this share as a result of signing of the Russian-American agreement was reduced.
Last week the group of the Colombian manufacturers and exporters of agricultural production and I among them led serious explanatory work in the government of this Latin American country. As it seemed to me, we managed to convince the government to withdraw the signature of Colombia under the agreement on reception of Russia into WTO till Gref's department wouldn’t cancel unreasonable preferencies on the meat given to the USA and to the European Union and wouldn’t stop to discriminate the countries of Latin America.
Introduction of Russia in WTO, as it’s known, cannot take place without the consent of Colombia - consensus should be reached for introduction. However, sceptics say that the USA will press on the government in Bogota and it will not withdraw its signature. It is quite probable that it will be like this. But at the same time another scenario is also possible - I do not exclude that within next few days other Latin American countries including Brazil will join a "meat" demarche of Columbians. In fact corresponding work is also being carried out there.
If it will happen, it will not be easy to Washington to break uniform Latin American front against reception of Moscow into WTO. In reality it will be better first of all for Russia.
In fact Russia in WTO is the same that Prokhorov in Courchevel. Russia outside WTO is - one more chance not to die, try to survive to domestic aircraft construction, car industry, other branches of industry and agriculture.
