(gazeta.kz) - Kazakhstan may enter the WTO in 2007. This opinion has been expressed by Vladimir Shkolnik, Minister of Industry and Commerce of RK, today, October 19, during a break of the "round table" "Kazakhstan on its Way to the WTO: Business Interests," Kazakhstan Today correspondent reports.
In particular, responding to a question from journalists whether the republic could hope to enter the WTO next year, Mr. Shkolnik has said: "We hope so." He has stressed that it will become possible, "if we convince our negotiating process partners to take our position."
This opinion is shared by Zhanar Aitzhanova, Special Representative of RK at the talks on Accession to the WTO, Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce of RK, who has told journalists that the Kazakhstani side will try "to complete the talks either before the end of this year or in the first half of the next year. The terms depend in many respects on the conditions under which we will be entering the WTO," - she has reminded, reports Trend.
Alejandro Jara, WTO Deputy Secretary General, in his turn responding to the same question has observed that the terms of accession will depend on "the speed with which Kazakhstan will adapt its own legislation with to the WTO requirements and hold a number of bilateral talks on disputable positions. This way it will all depend to a bigger extent on what is going to happen in your capital, your government and parliament, and to a lesser extent on what is going to happen in Geneva," - he has observed underscoring that "a brief answer to the question on Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO is - ASAP."