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Azerbaijan completes series of bilateral talks with WTO member-countries in 2008

Business Materials 16 December 2008 14:36 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.16 / Trend , corr. I.Khalilova /"The Azerbaijani Government completed entire series of bilateral negotiations regarding the entrance of the country into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2008", Mahmud Mammadguliev, the deputy Foreign Minister, said on Dec.16.

"Within the framework many-sided negotiations with the working group of WTO we conducted encounters with the remained countries - Norway, India, South Korea and Chinese province Taiwan", the deputy minister said.

In November negotiations were already carried out in Washington with the U.S., in Geneva - with Japan, Brazil, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, and on Dec. 9 in Brussels - with the European Union.

"As the results of the negotiations no agreement was achieved on signing of a protocol with neither of WTO member-country, therefore the talks will be still continued. At the same time each stage of negotiations has positive side, since they become more deepened, and some issues completely were removed from the agenda of consideration," Mammadguliev said.

WTO member-countries continue to insist on liberalization of commercial regime and service market by Azerbaijan. In particular, the requirements on the entry to the bank market remain by means of discovery of straight branches and insurance market of the country - creation of daughter organizations with 100% foreign capital.

In 2008, Azerbaijan holds bilateral meetings for the second time. In April, the talks were held with Norway, Sri Lanka, India, South Korea, and in May - with the U.S., Ecuador, Japan and Chinese province Taiwan

The new countries as Norway, Sri Lanka and India with which Azerbaijan has recently launched talks, also propose to reduce Boum-tariffs, which the government has proposed last.

Gradually the list of these countries is enlarged, and to speak about the completion of negotiations with some one of the discussed states, still early, the deputy minister added. The protocols of negotiations have already been signed with Turkey and, Oman and United Arab Emirates. The country is on the stage of signing of protocol with Moldova, which still examines document, and Kyrgyzstan and Georgia already gave agreement, and this procedure can take place at the current session of intergovernmental commission.

Since 1997 Azerbaijan is represented in the World Trade Organization in the status of observer.

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