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Vladimir Putin: Let’s discuss the results of the work in Yalta yesterday and the day before yesterday. We all know that the work to create a common economic space of four states – Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan – is making good progress. All our colleagues share the view that this process cannot be completed instantly: it is necessary for all four states to agree on their positions and interests on a whole range of vital issues. It will take some time, but we expect that the main package of documents on the problems we are discussing will be signed by the end of 2005 or in 2006. I would ask you, Mr Fradkov, to draw the Government’s attention to this.

Secondly, considering the integration processes within the “four”, all agencies should show responsibility in dealing with the issues of economic interaction with our CIS partners, especially the countries with which we are about to solve complicated and very vital issues for all of us, so that we do not have to learn about decisions to restrict market access for certain goods or services from the mass media. These issues should be approached in a very focused and balanced way.

(Addressing the Minister of Economic Development and Trade) Can you say a couple of words about the World Trade Organisation, Mr Gref?

German Gref: We have completed negotiations with the EU and final documents were signed yesterday. We have completed the package of documents. Over the coming week, we will try to work out a schedule of negotiations with all the other countries, firstly with the United States. We have agreed to hold the next round of negotiations in the US in July, and then the outlook and the schedule of the negotiations will become clear.

Today Mr Fradkov and I met with the Georgian side and we agreed to complete the negotiating process with Georgia in the near future. We have made good progress in the negotiations with Japan and China. There are some outstanding issues that will have to be solved politically. I hope that we will be able to come to an agreement soon. We tried to arrange the schedule in such a way as to make the maximum progress in the negotiating process this year in order to start the formal WTO accession procedure next year. Normally the process would take another year and a half. I hope we will be able to meet this rather harsh deadline.

Vladimir Putin: All this is closely linked to the topic we have just mentioned, the building of the common economic space. And I am asking you, to the extent that the WTO accession talks permit, to be in contact with our colleagues in the Common Economic Space.

(Addressing the Foreign Minister) Mr Lavrov, how did the meeting with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference go?

Sergei Lavrov: These last few days saw very intensive contacts with my colleagues. One of the most interesting meetings was with the delegation of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference that visited Moscow for consultations on the Middle East. During that meeting, in addition to our common positions on the Middle East peace process, our actions were supported by Islamic states. And as a follow-up to your attendance of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit last year, we received an invitation to visit the foreign ministerial conference as observers to be held in Istanbul in June this year. We have confirmed that we are interested, and Malaysia, which chairs the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, together with its Secretary-General have assured us that they would hold the necessary consultations ahead of the Istanbul meeting. We will try to resolve the formal issues of our accession into the Islamic Conference as observers there.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.