Good WTO News for Yushchenko
DAVOS, Switzerland — February is shaping up to be a big month for Ukraine, and President Viktor Yushchenko — backed by a group of heavyweight allies in Davos — said his country should emerge with flying colors.
On Feb. 5, the World Trade Organization’s General Council will vote on Ukraine’s long-awaited entry into the World Trade Organization — a decision that could give Kiev an upper hand over Moscow as well as any European capital tempted to resort to protectionism to ward off global economic turmoil.
Then Yushchenko will fly to Moscow on Feb. 12 for his first visit with President Vladimir Putin since Yulia Tymoshenko replaced the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych as prime minister.
Yushchenko, speaking Friday at a lunch on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, gave few details about what he expected from the Moscow visit but indicated that he hoped for some resolution to issues that have strained relations, including gas transit fees and the price that Ukraine pays for Russian gas.
“We would like to see new prospects for settling problems with Russia,” Yushchenko told a restaurant overflowing with guests. Organizers had to turn away 250 people.
But first is the Feb. 5 vote that Yushchenko will attend in Geneva. The WTO confirmed Ukraine’s accession at a meeting Friday, clearing the way for the largely formal vote by the 151-member General Council. Ukraine will then have six months to pass the legislation that it agreed to as part of its entry. The country will become a member 30 days after that.
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Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 5:38 pm under