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Down to One Georgian WTO Demand
The Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has announced that Georgia has withdrawn all of its demands of Russia for its accession to the WTO except for the issue of border crossings in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia considers that demand to be based on the agreement on Russia's admission to the WTO reached in 2004.
The Economics Ministry commented that these developments are a step in the right direction, but does not agree that the WTO regulates border crossings or that Russia is failing to meet its obligations under the 2004 agreement.
The Russian and Georgian delegations agreed to exchange legal agreements on the operation of the border crossings in the course of a month and to provide Georgia with evidence that Russian customs at those crossings act in accordance with WTO requirements. The next meeting of the delegations will be at the end of February.
Georgia agreed to Russia's accession to the WTO at the beginning of 2004, but later withdrew its agreement. Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili said on January 23 that Russia's entry into the WTO is in the interests of Georgia since “Georgia wants to have civilized trade and economic relations with Russia.” Nonetheless, he insisted that trade between the two countries “had no restrictions or exceptions” along their entire border.
Besides Georgia, a protocol of completion of bilateral negotiations have to be completed only with Guatemala. The bilateral agreement itself has already been signed. A protocol on the completion of negotiations was signed with Costa Rica yesterday in Geneva.
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