WTO

This past weekend in St. Petersburg , Russia was hoping for a trade with the United States that would pave the wave for its entry into the WTO. As of today, Putin is still waiting for that trade agreement that will probably be reached sometime in the summer of 2007. America and the EU have main concerns, especially Putin's consolidation of Russia's natural resources and companies under the power of the government. One only has to look at what happen to Lukos.

What was Russia's immediate reaction to not reaching a trade agreement with the United States, it delayed trade deals with US companies seeking energy deals in Siberia. Russia wants to open up its industries for capital and improvements without losing control, but one must realize that political agendas are different from corporate concerns. A corporation is run to make a profit and serve the public in order to make a profit. A government is to serve the people and use its influence to benefit its people.

What Russia should have demonstrated that it was willing to pass laws that would protect property rights. Not only pass laws, but reform its justice system in order to ensure fairness and procedural due process. Russia should have also approved the deals with the American Companies as a gesture of good will allaying the fears that Russia would use its natural resources as way to influence and control foreign policy.

Then again US is using Russia's entry as a tool to influence it to side with America in its fight against terrorism and the development of nuclear weapons in hands of mad men. Putin should realize that a scorpion is always a scorpion know matter how nice you are to it and eventually it is in their nature to strike. Putin is playing a dangerous game with the United States and it placating the scorpion to the south Iran. Eventually, once Iran obtains dominance over its former Persian Empire, it will seek to strike into the lower under belly of Russia to aid its "Islamic" brothers.