TASHKENT, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan is stepping up its efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), notably by formalizing its international commitments within the framework of the global trade body by the end of this year, said the president's press service on Wednesday.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Wednesday reviewed Uzbekistan's efforts and gave specific instructions to accelerate and systematically organize the accession process.
The presidential press service said the central Asian country had held negotiations with 33 economies on market access issues, and had completed the work with 24 of them.
"In particular, by the end of this year it is necessary to finalize bilateral negotiations with the remaining nine countries, hold two more meetings of the Working Group and finalize the draft final report of the Working Group, thus consolidating Uzbekistan's international commitments within the framework of the WTO," the press service said in a statement. ■
