Vietnam's membership deal possible by end of month
17 Oct '06
2 min read
WTO members negotiating Viet Nam's membership deal began intensive consultations on 9 October 2006 aimed at putting the final touches to the package of agreements and completing the deal by the end of the month.
“Today marks the final stage of Viet Nam's accession process,” Norwegian Ambassador Eirik Glenne, chairperson of Viet Nam's membership working party, told delegates in a brief formal meeting.
“For the first time, we have in front of us the complete package of documents representing Viet Nam's terms of membership to the WTO. … Clearly this working party is now very close to completion.”
Ambassador Glenne urged members to sort out any remaining issues in all three key documents by the end of the week (13 October). This would allow revised versions to be circulated the following week and the working party to meet before the end of the month.
He proposed a final formal meeting of the working party on 26 October to agree on the package.
“This means that very intensive work must be carried out this week to close all the remaining issues,” Ambassador Glenne said. “I recognize it is tight, but we have no alternative.”
The chairperson was not specific, but in principle, this schedule would allow the General Council to adopt the package in early November, although Viet Nam would not become a member until 30 days after it has ratified the package and informed the WTO that it has done so.
“Of course, this calendar issubject to all things going well —and I would underscore that, subject to all things going well —but as your chairman I have to lay down the way ahead,” he concluded.
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