Talks on Azerbaijan’s WTO accession due in late Nov.
The program of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the fourth quarter of this year includes a meeting of the working group on Azerbaijan's accession to the organisation, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev told Trend news agency.
"The meeting is scheduled for the last week of November, so we have a maximum of four to six weeks beforehand to send answers to WTO member countries' questions, proposals for negotiations and so on. Work on the answers is almost complete and I think we will send them in September," Mammadguliyev said.
He said that along with the meeting of the working group, bilateral and multilateral negotiations on agriculture will also be held.
"We will send proposals to all the countries with whom we negotiate. Perhaps meetings will be held with the U.S. or EU," Mammadguliyev said.
Azerbaijan held bilateral talks with the U.S., EU, Norway, Canada, Ecuador and Japan during the ninth round of talks on Azerbaijan's membership in the WTO in February. In addition, bilateral talks with the U.S., China, Canada and Brazil were held in Geneva on July 24-28.
Negotiations with Turkey, 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 legislation in accordance with the WTO requirements as well as on improving the current trade regulations.
The working group on Azerbaijan's accession to the WTO was established on July 16, 1997.
Azerbaijan has been represented at the WTO as an observer since 1997.