Azerbaijan, Baku, July 31 /Trend I.Khalilova/
Bilateral talks held in Geneva by Azerbaijan in the frame of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), have been productive, Deputy Foreign Minister, Chief Negotiator Mahmoud Mammadguliyev told Trend on Tuesday.
The consultations on WTO accession between Azerbaijan's negotiating group and four countries - the U.S., China, Canada and Brazil was held on July 24-28
"In general, these were productive talks. There is a small step forward and we will continue in this vein. Bilateral consultations were based on our latest offers on goods and services," the deputy minister said.
He noted that in addition to bilateral meetings, consultations with the secretariat of the WTO and with other international organisations that deal with trade were also held.
It was the second meeting of Azerbaijan's negotiating group on WTO membership this year.
Azerbaijan held bilateral talks with the U.S., EU, Norway, Canada, Ecuador and Japan within the ninth round of multilateral talks on Azerbaijan's membership into the WTO in February 2012.
Azerbaijan has been represented at the World Trade Organisation as an observer since 1997 and began negotiating in 2004. Azerbaijan is holding bilateral negotiations with the United States, Japan, Brazil, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, European Union, Norway, India, South Korea, Taiwan Province of China, Canada and Switzerland.
"It is possible that regular bilateral consultations with the countries, members of the WTO will be held at the end of this year in the framework of the tenth round of multilateral negotiations scheduled for the last quarter of this year," Mammadguliyev said.
Negotiations with Turkey, the Sultanate of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have been completed and protocols were signed. The country is in the process of signing the protocol with Moldova, which is still considering the document.
Within the talks Azerbaijan continues working on adjusting its national legislative base in accordance with the WTO requirements as well as on improving the current trade regime. About 40-50 legislative acts should meet requirements of the organisations with 30 of them have already unified and work in this direction will continue this year.
The working group on Azerbaijan to the WTO was established on July 16, 1997.
Azerbaijan has been represented at the World Trade Organisation as an observer since 1997.