Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of blocking Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization. At a meeting with Russian businessmen on Wednesday he said progress in the Russian-US talks on WTO entry was being artificially delayed, Mayak radio station reported.

Gazprom offered Belarus’ national Beltransgaz to buy Russian gas at European prices starting in 2007, Gazprom’s press service reported quoting a statement made by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller at his meeting with Belarusian Energy Minister Alexander Ageyev and Beltransgaz General Director Dmitry Kazakov.

Disagreements between the United States and Russia over Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be settled within the next month or month and a half, Russian Economy Minister German Gref said. Negotiations are not simple but “we will make progress and reach an agreement within 1-1.5 months,” …