UKRAINE HOPES TO COMPLETE ALL WTO TALKS BY END OF JULY – MINISTER
Inter TV, Kiev
7 Mar 06
[Presenter] Ukraine and the United States have signed a bilateral
protocol on mutual access to markets of goods and services in the
framework of Ukraine’s preparation to the WTO accession.
The document was signed by Ukrainian Economics Minister Arseniy
Yatsenyuk and US trade representative Rob Portman.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov believes that this step
improves Ukraine’s chance of joining the World Trade Organization
by the end of this year. The talks with the remaining five of 49
members of [WTO’s] working group – Australia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan,
Panama and Taiwan – are under way.
Ukraine has plans to complete the talks by the end of March so it
can finish the [accession] process by the end of July.
[Yatsenyuk] Ukraine has been granted a five-year transition period.
Under this condition, domestic investors will have a chance to create
a relevant financial sector. Foreigners will come to our market only
in five years’ time after we join the World Trade Organization.
Ukraine is interested in Russia’s accession to the WTO as soon as
possible. Why? Because as WTO members, Ukraine, the United States
and Russia will be able to resolve their issues in line with WTO
regulations and requirements. Nowadays, we do not have a clear legal
basis for our bilateral relations. Exactly because of this we see all
kinds of attempts to close markets and failures to resolve various
trade disputes.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress