A US official said today that no deal had been reached yet between the United States and Russia on Moscow's entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The comments from the official contradicted reports from Russian news agencies that an agreement had been struck.
RIA news agency had quoted Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin as saying Presidents Bush and Vladimir Putin would sign a protocol on Russia's WTO entry when they meet in St Petersburg on Friday or Saturday, when the annual Group of Eight summit begins.