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The next round of multilateral and bilateral negotiations on Azerbaijan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will take place from Feb.17 to Feb.21, 2014, head of the negotiation group, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev told Trend on Feb.10.
The U.S., EU, Norway, Switzerland and several other countries will participate in the negotiations with Azerbaijan, according to Mammadguliyev.
“We want to achieve serious conditions for Azerbaijan, those which would contribute to the country’s development. This is a long-lasting process.,” the deputy foreign minister said.
Currently, Azerbaijan is in the process of bilateral negotiations with the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, European Union, Norway, India, South Korea, Taiwan Province of China, Canada, Switzerland and Honduras to join the WTO.
Negotiations have been completed and protocols were signed with Turkey, the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.
It is not expected to sign new protocols in the near future, according to Mammadguliyev.
Azerbaijan started negotiations with the WTO in 2004. The last talks were held in Geneva in early June, 2013.
The working group on Azerbaijan at the WTO Secretariat was established on 16 July 1997.
Since 1997, Azerbaijan has been invited to attend the World Trade Organisation as an observer.
Trend.az
