...

Number of countries to hold bilateral talks with Azerbaijan on joining WTO increased

Business Materials 30 October 2012 20:01 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 30 / Trend I.Khalilova /

Honduras made a proposal to the government of Azerbaijan to begin bilateral negotiations within Azerbaijan's joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the chief negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev told Trend on Tuesday.

"They have a long list of goods for which they wish to receive an initial negotiating right in case of changes in Azerbaijani tariffs, they want to be the first to hold talks on the issue," the deputy minister stated.

It means that if a country, which previously granted trade concessions on a particular product, decides to cancel or change them, it must, above all, hold talks with the WTO member, which has an initial negotiating rights to this product, as well as with members of the recognized major suppliers of goods, and to consult with other members, which show a significant interest in this product.

There are a large number of goods, including agricultural products, in the list presented by Honduras.

"We will consider granting such right to Honduras under the current practice in accordance with which the preferential right to negotiate is given to the country if the share of the exported goods in total imports exceeds 30 percent," Mammadguliyev said. "Based on current practice, we will consider the goods for which provision of such a right is possible."

Azerbaijan is planning to hold regular bilateral negotiations with WTO members within the X round of multilateral negotiations in early December.

"As usual, the talks will be held with the U.S., European Union and other member countries of the organization, which have expressed such a wish," the deputy minister noted.

He noted that there is practically no such section of foreign trade regime in the negotiation process, which wasn't covered by the WTO member states.

Mammadguliyev said an extended study is conducted, because the countries want to understand which foreign trade regime can be applied in Azerbaijan.

Thus, including Honduras, the list of countries, negotiating with Azerbaijan has increased to 13.

Azerbaijan held bilateral talks with the U.S., EU, Norway, Canada, Ecuador and Japan during the ninth round of multilateral talks on Azerbaijan's membership of the WTO in February 2012. In addition, bilateral talks with the U.S., China, Canada and Brazil were held in Geneva on July 24-28.

Azerbaijan is in bilateral talks with the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, European Union, Norway, India, South Korea, Taiwan Province of China, Canada, and Switzerland.
Azerbaijan started talks in 2004.

Negotiations with Turkey, the Sultanate of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have been completed and protocols signed. The country is in the process of signing a protocol with Moldova which is still considering the document.

As part of 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 the requirements of the organization. Some points are being examined.

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.

Tags:
Latest

Latest