EU eyes free trade with Russia after WTO bid-official

SOCHI, Russia, May 25 (Reuters) The European Union hopes Russia will enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO), perhaps later this year, and will look at free trade opportunities with Moscow once that happens, a top EU official said today.

Russia, by far the biggest economy still outside the WTO, has been negotiating entry for 13 years.

''We do hope Russia will become a member -- maybe by the end of the year -- and then there is a new perspective for a free trade agreement in the future,'' EU External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters at a Russia-EU summit.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has said there were difficulties between EU member states and Russia that needed to be ironed out before it could join the 149-nation WTO.

A White House official said on Tuesday the United States would insist on tough commercial terms in an agreement paving the way for Russia to join the body, responding to lawmaker concerns that the Bush administration was rushing to reach a deal by July.

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