The American secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, has urged countries attending the APEC conference in Vladivostok to lift more barriers to free trade in the Asia Pacific.
She said the United States wants to normalise trade relations with Russia, removing a piece of Cold War legislation that limits their business links.
Although Russia is now a member of the World Trade Organisation, there is still a piece of 38-year-old legislation that prevents American companies trading normally with Russia.
According to the BBC, the 1974 Jackson-Vanik Amendment was originally linked to the Soviet Union's refusal to allow Jewish people to emigrate, but - although suspended - it remains in place.
President Barack Obama is committed to repealing it and Mrs Clinton said in Vladivostok that would happen in September.
