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Advocates of Russia's WTO membership outnumber opponents - Poll

MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - Slightly more than half of Russians - 51% - are aware that Russia is going to join the World Trade Organization, according to a poll of 1,500 respondents conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation in 100 communities in 44 regions in late May.

The poll showed that 47% of those aware believe Russia should join the WTO, while 15% disapprove of this plan.

In the view of 47% of those polled, Russia's accession to the WTO will enhance its reputation, 14% believe this will not influence it, and 4% think this will harm the country's position in the world.

According to the poll, 41% of the respondents believe Russia will benefit from WTO membership, while 14% are convinced that this will damage it.

Asked what consequences they expect from Russia's membership of the WTO, 6% mentioned growth in trade turnover, 6% economic growth on the whole, 6% the strengthening of Russia's position on the world market and increasing exports, 3% the improvement of the quality of goods on the Russian market, 3% the growing of Russia's budget and the strengthening of its financial system, and 3% improvement of the living standards.

Among the negative consequences, the respondents in the first place mentioned an increase in the internal natural gas prices, which has been stipulated as a condition for membership and which would lead to higher inflation (5%). In the view of 4% of the respondents, the obligation to follow the WTO requirements would negatively influence Russia's political and economic independence, 3% are afraid that the Russian producers would lose the competition with the foreign ones, and 3% believe the condition of the Russian economy on the whole would decrease.

The accession to the WTO would entail great financial expenses, and Russia would have either to incur large debts or spend a lot of its own money to pay the accession fees, in the view of 2% each. As a result, 2% believe Russia would be "robbed and cheated."

Some respondents said the WTO member-states would turn Russia into "a source of raw materials," which would further impoverish "the ordinary people."