【英语国际】奥巴马称将帮助俄罗斯加入WTO

President Barack Obama said Thursday he will help Russia accelerate its bid to join the World Trade Organization, and told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he hopes Russia can clear final hurdles to accession as early as September 30.

Mr. Medvedev was in Washington for a day of meetings that focused on trade and economic issues.

Mr. Obama said U.S. trade with Russia 'is only about the same as our trade with Thailand -- a country with less than half the population of Russia. So obviously there's more work to do.'

Also Thursday, the two reached an agreement that clears the way for U.S. exports of poultry to Russia, a move that would end a longstanding trade dispute. Mr. Obama said the step was 'an important signal about Russia's seriousness about achieving membership in the World Trade Organization.'

Mr. Medvedev, fresh from a visit to Silicon Valley, cited cooperation between the Russian and U.S. high-technology industries as a personal priority.

A joint statement issued after the agreement called Russia's acceptance into the WTO 'a trade policy priority for both nations.' The accession roadmap was concluded April 27, when First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and Russian trade officials met in Washington with National Economic Council Director Larry Summers, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and other members of the administration's economic- and foreign-policy teams.

Of particular concern to the WTO and the U.S. is the need to bring Russia into alignment with international law governing white-collar crime and intellectual property.

Mr. Medvedev recently announced that Russia would reduce to 41 from about 208 the number of state-owned industries classified as 'strategic,' a move that will lower barriers for foreign investment in those businesses. The move was designed to help Russia in its bid to join the WTO.

Other communiques issued Thursday addressed cooperation on counterterrorism initiatives, international adoption, and energy efficiency.

美国总统奥巴马(Barack Obama)周四说将帮助俄罗斯加快加入世界贸易组织(WTO)的进程，并告诉俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫(Dmitry Medvedev)他希望俄罗斯能扫清所有障碍，最早于9月30日加入WTO。

梅德韦杰夫在华盛顿参加了一天的会议，主要讨论贸易与经济问题。

Associated Press美国总统奥巴马（右）和俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫在白宫东厅出席联合记者招待会奥巴马说美俄贸易仅与美国和泰国贸易大体相当。而泰国的人口还不到俄罗斯的一半。因此显然美俄之间还有很多工作要做。

周四，两国还达成协议，为美国家禽出口俄罗斯铺平了道路，此举将结束一场长期贸易争端。奥巴马说这是一个重要信号，表明俄罗斯对加入WTO持认真态度。

刚参观完硅谷回来的梅德韦杰夫称俄美高科技行业的合作是他个人的首要任务。

两国发表的联合声明称俄罗斯加入WTO是两国贸易政策的首要事务。4月27日，俄罗斯第一副总理舒瓦洛夫(Igor Shuvalov)和俄贸易官员与美国国家经济委员会主任萨默斯(Larry Summers)、美国贸易代表柯克(Ron Kirk)及政府经济与外交政策小组的其他成员在华盛顿碰面，并制定了俄罗斯加入WTO的路线图。

WTO和美国特别关心的问题是需要把俄罗斯置于管理白领犯罪和知识产权的国际法的管辖之下。

俄罗斯标定为“战略”级的国有产业共有208个。梅德韦杰夫近期宣布将减少到41个。此举旨在帮助俄罗斯加入WTO，并将降低外国资本对这些业务进行投资的障碍。

周四发表的另一篇公报提及了两国在反恐、国际收养和能源效率方面的合作。