A free trade agreement between Uzbekistan and the CIS was signed at a meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of Governments in Minsk on Friday, RIA Novosti reported today.
Uzbekistan became the ninth member of the free trade zone.
The agreement on free trade zone within the CIS was signed on October 18, 2011 by eight countries - Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Ukraine. Three more countries - Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have expressed their desires to further examine possible accession to the treaty. Only Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have not ratified the treaty yet, but the procedure is being finalized.
The agreement will ensure the necessary conditions for a full and effective free trade zone in the CIS and create favorable conditions for further intensifying the integration based on the rules of the World Trade Organization.