The Obama administration will make cancellation of the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik amendment, which imposes restrictions on Russian-U.S. trade, a priority in 2012, U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Beyrle said on Monday.“Our president [Barack Obama] said that the time has come to cancel the long-standing Jackson-Vanik amendment,” Beyrle told journalists in Moscow.The amendment, he said, “in no way restricts U.S.-Russian trade,” but “we understand that it is still a relic, a remainder of the old Cold War mentality.”It is “unlikely” that the amendment will be cancelled this year, but “our president said it was his priority to secure the cancellation of this amendment by the [U.S.] Congress” in 2012, he added.The Jackson-Vanik amendment was imposed in 1974 against countries with non-market economies and restricted emigration rights.Moscow has repeatedly said that the amendment was an \"anachronism\" hindering Russia\'s World Trade Organization accession bid.After talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in mid-November, Obama promised to begin consultations with the Congress to drop the amendment.The U.S. government has only once tried to cancel it, in 2002, when President George Bush asked Congress to do so. However, Russia banned U.S. poultry imports soon afterwards, prompting an end to discussion of the issue.
GMT 01:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January
Trump 'imitates' Modi's accent in private conversation: ReportGMT 21:24 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Puigdemont accuses EU of not defending rights in CataloniaGMT 21:18 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Vietnam oil exec 'kidnapped' from Germany jailed for lifeGMT 21:08 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Turkey in new assault on Kurdish militiaGMT 21:04 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Turkey detains 24 over 'terror propaganda'GMT 20:52 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Dawoodi Bohra leader arrives in DubaiGMT 22:09 2018 Monday ,22 January
Israel apologises to JordanGMT 16:11 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Pope condemns criminals in crime-stricken Peruvian city

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor