BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
13/08/2009
Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus to form single negotiation team on WTO entry
The custom union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus has made a final decision to form a single negotiation group on entry to the World Trade organization (WTO), local media reported on Thursday.
Officials from the three countries met in Moscow on Wednesday and decided to establish a single negotiating group to conduct talks on accession to the WTO on behalf of the customs union.
The team will involve experienced negotiation experts and government representatives, Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said after the meeting.
"Legally we may enter separately... On certain issues we may enter with the customs union," Shuvalov said.
He said the simultaneous accession of the three countries on equal terms is a priority.
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan agreed in early June to form a customs bloc and seek joint accession to the WTO.
Russia, which has been seeking WTO membership for more than 15 years, is the largest economy still outside the global trade watchdog.
Source:
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/6727613.html
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