KHUJAND, October 7, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan may be admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) before Uzbekistan, Mr. Jovan Jekic, USAID Regional Trade liberalization and Customs Project, noted at a press-café that took place in Khujand on October 6.
According to him, Uzbekistan has lodged application for admission to WTO but the process has been suspended. “I think Tajikistan will join WTO before Uzbekistan,” said Mr. Jekic, “However, it is a long process and it is necessary to discuss many issues during negotiations; besides, candidate countries for WTO try to take into account their national interests. It is also necessary to bring legal and economic regimes of trade in Tajikistan into compliance with the WTO requirements. Tajikistan will have to solve issues related to standardization and protection of intellectual property, make domestic market more accessible for countries that will want to trade with Tajikistan and so forth.”
Tajikistan has applied for WTO admission in 2001. Established by the WTO General Council in July 2001, the Working Party on the accession of Tajikistan held three meetings in 2004-2006. Bilateral market access negotiations are underway on the basis of revised offers in goods and services. The Working Party held its fourth meeting in September 2009 to continue the examination of Tajikistan’s foreign trade regime.
