TODAY: Politkovskaya trial closed to public; tariff increases could harm WTO bid; presidential term bill has successful second reading in Duma; Medvedev against parliamentary elections; prosecutors to eye press coverage of financial crisis; Georgia-Russia talks could take years; Putin to do television Q&A session as usual.

The EU aims to draw up a plan of action for Russia’s WTO membership, although the Trade Chief warned the country against pursuing tariff increases proposed by Vladimir Putin which would be ‘contrary to the spirit of the G20‘.  President Dmitry Medvedev has promised that Russia will not resort to protectionist measures to fight the economic crisis.