Mr Putin said the deals covering elements in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors are unfair, but vowed to return to the agreements once Russia becomes a member of the Geneva-based body, according to the news agency.

'Not being a member of this organisation, we do not receive anything positive in return. This situation goes against our interests in certain sectors of the Russian economy, particularly agriculture,' he said.

'We will suspend a number of programmes, but we will return to them as soon as we become a full-fledged member of the WTO,' he added.

He said the suspension concerns red meat, poultry and manufacturing.

He also reiterated Moscow's intent to join the WTO.

'Having considered the reasons for and against, we feel it is necessary to follow this direction and we will advance in this direction,' he said.

Last week, Mr Putin indicated that Russia would suspend some of its WTO agreements and on Wednesday the Kremlin said it was planning to severely cut imports of pork and chicken meat, which were agreed three years ago.

Russia has been knocking at the WTO's door since 1993, just two years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and during the first flush of the country's embrace with capitalism.

Now it is the only major world trading power outside the bloc. Former Soviet satellites Georgia and Ukraine joined the organisation in 2000 and 2008 respectively.

Even before this month's outbreak of hostilities, Georgia had voiced objections to Russian membership in 2006 after Moscow placed heavy restrictions on imports of Georgian goods such as wine and mineral water.

Georgia, as a WTO member, effectively holds a veto over Russia's admission - all such decisions must be unanimously agreed by all 153 member states. -- AFP