Russia may complete all required procedures for accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and join the trade body next year, Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref said on Saturday.

"Nine-tenths of the work to secure admission to the World Trade Organization has been accomplished," Gref said in an interview on Russia's Vesti news channel.

"We have signed an unprecedented number of bilateral protocols, more than any other country that has ever joined the WTO. There are three countries such protocols have not been signed with technically at the official level," Gref said.

"As for Georgia, the Georgian leadership at a certain point declared it was revoking its signature from the protocol. That's nonsense. And I am hoping that we shall finalize the position at negotiations with Moldova," Gref said.

Russia -- the largest economy still outside the Geneva-based WTO -- has been negotiating for membership since 1993. The U.S. deal signed last month cleared the last major hurdle to Moscow's longtime bid to join the world trade body.