Russia sentencing will complicate WTO bid-US official

WASHINGTON Dec 30 (Reuters) - The sentencing handed down to former Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky will complicate Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization, a senior Obama administration official said on Thursday.

"It is not going to help their cause, it is only going to complicate their cause," the official said

"The WTO is a rules based, rule of law organization. Most countries around the world do not look at this verdict as a demonstration of the deepening of the rule of law in Russia. It will definitely have an effect on Russia's reputation," the official added.

(Reporting by Ross Colvin, Editing by Frances Kerry)