SEE ALSO:
press releases
WTO news
Mike Moore's speeches
Renato Ruggiero's speeches,
1995-99
|
At today's
meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of the Kyrgyz Republic, Chairman Jean-Marie
Metzger (France) concluded that the Working Party had completed its work on the package of
accession documents (Draft Report, Draft Protocol of Accession, and Draft Market Access
Schedules of Concessions on Goods and Services), with the understanding that the Accession
of the Kyrgyz Republic would be on the agenda of the WTO's General Council for formal
decision at its first meeting after the summer break. WTO procedures require
that the WTO General Council approve accession. The prospective new member must then
ratify its membership in accordance with its national procedures. Membership takes effect
30 days after the new member has notified the WTO of its ratification.
The
Kyrgyz Republic first applied for WTO membership in February 1996. A Working Party
was established in April 1996 and a first meeting was held in March 1997. The
process of accession has been greatly accelerated by the willingness of the Kyrgyz
Republic to bring its economic and trade regime into conformity with WTO rules and
obligations as rapidly as possible, by putting in place the necessary implementing
legislation prior to accession.
The
following 32 governments have requested to join the WTO. Their applications are currently
being considered by accession working parties: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cambodia, People's Republic of China, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lithuania,
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Nepal, Oman, Sultanate of, Russian
Federation, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Chinese Taipei, Tonga, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Vietnam. |
|
