Russia faces yet another stumbling block on the road to accession to the WTO.
Georgia is demanding that Russia first shuts down its trade links with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Georgian media has reported that no bilateral talks will be held until the issue is resolved. The country itself has been a member of the World Trade Organisation since 2000. Russia has concluded bilateral talks with more than 60 states, but has yet to strike a bargain with Georgia or Saudi Arabia.