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The forum of representatives of major companies from the Asia-Pacific region took place at the Empire Hotel and Country Club on the South China Sea coast.

Addressing the summit, the Russian President said that economic globalisation must not impair social stability in Asia-Pacific countries, as it happened during the economic crisis in Asia in 1998. The President stressed that, as a Eurasian country, Russia traditionally included the Asia-Pacific region in its sphere of activities.

In replying to businessmen’s questions, Mr Putin said that Russia did not set a definite timeframe for its accession to the World Trade Organisation, but it would like to have its status in the WTO to be qualitatively changed by the next WTO session. He said that Russia was now holding active bilateral consultations with WTO member countries.