DUBROVNIK, Sept 16 (Hina) - The final document on Croatia's admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which will be sent to the WTO General Council for adoption, should be adopted at a session of the working group for Croatia's
admission, to be held on September 27, Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges said ahead of the last informal meeting of the working group, to be held in Geneva on Friday. Porges spoke about Croatia's admission to the WTO at the annual assembly of European employers' associations. During the further procedure, the WTO General Council should adopt with a two-third majority a decision on Croatia's admission to the WTO. According to Porges, this would mean that Croatia, as has been expected, should appear at WTO's Ministerial Conference in Seattle on November 30 as a full member. Talks with Slovene representatives, which were held in Zagreb on
DUBROVNIK, Sept 16 (Hina) - The final document on Croatia's
admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which will be sent
to the WTO General Council for adoption, should be adopted at a
session of the working group for Croatia's admission, to be held on
September 27, Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges said ahead of
the last informal meeting of the working group, to be held in Geneva
on Friday.
Porges spoke about Croatia's admission to the WTO at the annual
assembly of European employers' associations.
During the further procedure, the WTO General Council should adopt
with a two-third majority a decision on Croatia's admission to the
WTO. According to Porges, this would mean that Croatia, as has been
expected, should appear at WTO's Ministerial Conference in Seattle
on November 30 as a full member.
Talks with Slovene representatives, which were held in Zagreb on
Wednesday, have helped clear the remaining differences, and this,
along with some other issues, should be confirmed at the upcoming
meeting between the Croatian and Slovene premiers, Porges said.
However, he added that there were "some indications about possible
problems" regarding Croatia's accession to the WTO. This concerns
the liberalisation of audio-visual services. France has expressed
certain scepticism that Croatia has gone "a bit to far" toward the
stand of the United States, which treats film like any other kind of
goods. Nevertheless, France has remained isolated in this stand in
the EU, and it is therefore too early to make conclusions about the
problem.
"I want to believe that the announced plan of activities will be
respected and that the last formal session will be held on September
27", Porges said.
"I also believe that Croatia will be assessed, as usually, for the
adjustment of its economy to the WTO and for its talks with the
interested countries, which have almost been completed".
Statements by the newly-appointed WTO secretary-general Mick Moore
are more than positive because he wants to speed up as much as
possible the admission of countries wishing to enter the WTO, said
Porges.
(hina) jn rml