Vladivostok , Russia ( CNN ) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled Saturday that Congress could move to repeal Cold War-era legislation governing trade relations with Russia as soon as this month . Clinton 's comments regarding the so-called Jackson-Vanik amendment came as she addressed business leaders in the Russian city of Vladivostok , where she is standing in for President Barack Obama at the head of the U.S. delegation to the APEC Economic Leaders ' Meeting . `` To make sure our companies get to compete here in Russia , we are working closely with the United States Congress to terminate the application to Jackson-Vanik to Russia and grant Russian Permanent Normalized Trade Relations , '' she said . `` We hope that the Congress will pass on this important piece of legislation this month . '' The Jackson-Vanik amendment was passed in 1974 as a way of pressuring Russia to allow Soviet Jews to emigrate . With the collapse of the Soviet Union , that was no longer an issue , but legislators kept the amendment on the books to pressure Russia on other issues . The United States has waived it every year since 1994 , but it still violates World Trade Organization rules requiring members of the body to give one another permanent normal trade relations . Russia finally entered the WTO this summer , raising the stakes for the United States to end a measure that critics warn could end up costing it business . Clinton discussed the Jackson-Vanik amendment with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over a working breakfast , Nuland said . `` She said that the Congress was going to start voting and that we have strongly pushed and been supportive , and we think that it 's time for Jackson-Vanik to be repealed , '' Nuland said of Clinton . The Secretary of State shares the concerns of many in Congress about the human rights situation in Russia `` and we 're continuing to talk to them about those issues , '' Nuland added . Clinton and Lavrov also debated the ongoing situations in Syria and Iran , Nuland said . On Syria , the themes were similar to discussions held in St. Petersburg in June , Nuland said . `` We remain extremely concerned that if the UN Security Council does n't take a stronger stand in support of peace and security , that it is abrogating its responsibility , that we need to do it in a way where there are consequences for noncompliance , which the Russians have not been supportive of in the past and which we really think are necessary if it 's going to actually advance the ball , '' Nuland said . Clinton also made clear to Lavrov that U.S. concerns extended to the `` extremely negative effect '' of the ongoing conflict in Syria on stability in the wider region , Nuland said . Clinton labels Pakistan-based group as terrorists . Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin held one-on-one talks before dinner Saturday evening , when the question of Syria came up again . They also discussed Iran , missile defense and the need for increased bilateral trade and investment in the 15-minute meeting , before turning to wild life conservation and other matters over dinner . Clinton spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda too , on issues including a hotly disputed set of small islands in the East China Sea . The question of sovereignty over the islands has led to renewed diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo in recent weeks . In the course of their meeting Saturday morning , Clinton and Lavrov signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the Antarctic and another on strengthening U.S.-Russian interregional cooperation . Clinton said the agreements would stimulate economic growth and deepen the two nations ' scientific cooperation in Antarctica . `` Scientists from both our countries will work together to explore Antarctica 's terrain , study the effects of climate change , and cooperate on a range of issues to better understand and protect our shared environment , '' she said . The Obama administration had previously indicated its desire to lift the Jackson-Vanik amendment as part of its `` reset '' of U.S. relations with Moscow . And in an editorial in The Wall Street Journal in June , Clinton argued that leaving the amendment in place could hurt U.S. interests . Clinton visits young nation of East Timor , misses husband 's speech . Ending Jackson-Vanik is not `` a gift to Russia , '' Clinton wrote . `` It is a smart , strategic investment in one of the fastest growing markets for U.S. goods and services . '' Clinton 's visit to Russia is the last stop on a week-and-a-half-long trip to the Asia Pacific region . She became the first U.S. secretary of state Thursday to visit East Timor since the developing Southeast Asian nation gained full independence from Indonesia 10 years ago , meeting with President Taur Matan Ruak and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao . She also stopped by Brunei . Earlier in the week , she held a series of meetings with senior Chinese officials , including Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi , in Beijing . Her tour started in the Cook Islands , in the Pacific Ocean , followed by a visit to Indonesia , an increasingly important regional player . CNN 's Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report .
NEW : Clinton discusses Syria , Iran and missile defense with Russia 's Vladimir Putin . Congress may vote on lifting a Cold War-era trade amendment this month , Clinton says . The Jackson-Vanik amendment was passed in 1974 as a way to pressure Russia . Clinton is in Vladivostok for the APEC Economic Leaders ' Meeting .