EU signs protocol on Russia’s WTO entry

Russia and the European Union signed a protocol today confirming EU backing for Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation and Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow in turn would speed up ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.

‘‘The EU has met us halfway in talks over the WTO and that cannot but affect positively our position on the Kyoto Protocol,’’ Putin told a Kremlin news conference at the end of the one-day Russia-EU summit. ‘‘We will speed up Russia’s movement toward the Kyoto Protocol’s ratification,’’ Putin added.

Analysts said that the deal with the EU was a crucial milestone, since Moscow has yet to strike similar deals with other WTO members such as the US.

Talks with the EU began with 160 problem areas six years ago and have boiled down to three or four, with much haggling over the liberalisation of Russia’s huge natural gas sector. ‘‘What we’re looking for is something that is as good for Russia as it is for the EU,’’ said EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, during a break in talks late on Thursday.