Director-General
Mike Moore said Lithuania's forthcoming full
participation in the WTO “should help buttress the
country's impressive reform programme and bring further
tangible economic benefits to her citizens”.Lithuania
has committed itself to the ratification of the WTO
accession instruments by 1 May 2001. It would become a
member 30 days after notifying the WTO of ratification.
At
the Working Party meeting, Lithuania's Foreign Affairs
Vice-Minister Algimantas Rimkunas expressed delight at
the completion of the negotiations. He said that the goal
of WTO membership and compliance with its requirements
had provided “a solid anchor for (Lithuania's)
economic reform”. “Now our legislation conforms
with the WTO requirements and provides for transparency
and predictability”, he added.
The
Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic said that although
they have not yet completed their bilateral negotiations
with Lithuania they could join in the consensus to
approve the membership documents.
Agriculture
was a major issue during the negotiations. Lithuania is
now committed to a reduction of 20 percent over five
years of domestic subsidies that are subject to
disciplines under the WTO agreement on agriculture. It
also pledged to eliminate agricultural export subsidies
upon accession.
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