Kazakhstan has yet to complete talks on its accession into the TO with Argentina and Saudi Arabia, Minister of Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova told December 28 at a Government sitting. “As of today all the talks on access of goods and services are over, except those with Argentina and Saudi Arabia. The talks with the latter two are expected to be completed in January-February 2012. Should everything go as planned, we will be able to complete the talks before the end of 2012”, Ms. Aitzhanova said. The Minister elaborated that the talks with Argentina haven’t been completed only due to the change of the Government and President. Argentina lacked a full-fledged team of negotiators. The situation is somewhat different with Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia was the latest to start talks with Kazakhstan. The country has become a WTO member state recently. Being an oil-producing nation, Saudi Arabia assumed a lot of WTO plus obligations with regards to oil and gas. And now the country demands other acceding nations to take the same obligations. That was the case with Russia. And now they are asking the same from Kazakhstan”. “The talks touch transportation of oil and gas through pipelines and access for foreign companies to pipeline transportation services. This issue is crucial for Kazakhstan. The nation is defending its interests. We hope for understanding on the part of Saudi Arabia”, the Minister said.
Kazakhstan has yet to complete talks on its accession into the TO with Argentina and Saudi Arabia, Minister of Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova told December 28 at a Government sitting.
“As of today all the talks on access of goods and services are over, except those with Argentina and Saudi Arabia. The talks with the latter two are expected to be completed in January-February 2012. Should everything go as planned, we will be able to complete the talks before the end of 2012”, Ms. Aitzhanova said.
The Minister elaborated that the talks with Argentina haven’t been completed only due to the change of the Government and President. Argentina lacked a full-fledged team of negotiators. The situation is somewhat different with Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi Arabia was the latest to start talks with Kazakhstan. The country has become a WTO member state recently. Being an oil-producing nation, Saudi Arabia assumed a lot of WTO plus obligations with regards to oil and gas. And now the country demands other acceding nations to take the same obligations. That was the case with Russia. And now they are asking the same from Kazakhstan”.
“The talks touch transportation of oil and gas through pipelines and access for foreign companies to pipeline transportation services. This issue is crucial for Kazakhstan. The nation is defending its interests. We hope for understanding on the part of Saudi Arabia”, the Minister said.