Joining WTO as “one kolkhoz” failed

Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus continue talks on joining the World Trade Organisation as separate states, but I close coordination with each other.

The statement on that has been made by representatives of the three countries after consultations in Geneva on October 15, RIA Novosti writes.

However, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus still set it as their aim to join the WTO in the shortest possible time as members of the customs union.

A special representative of Kazakhstan at the talks on the WTO joining Zhanar Ajtzhanova noted that the necessity to coordinate customs tariffs would make Kazakhstan to return to the issue of customs dues, which have already been discussed with the WTO members. However the director of trade negotiations department of the Economic development ministry of Russia Maxim Medvedkov who heads the delegation of the three countries at the talks in Geneva, stated that Russia won’t raise maximum dues which had already been discussed in the framework of the Customs union.

In June this year heads of the governments of the three countries decided to inform the WTO that they would join the organisation as a single customs territory. The three countries suspended bilateral talks on joining the organisation while a unified position of the Customs union is being formed.