00-2374 MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/182
14 June 2000
 GEORGIA JOINS THE WTO
Georgia became the 137th member of the World Trade Organization today (14 June). WTO
Director-General Mike Moore welcomed the event by saying: “I congratulate Georgia on its swift
accession and the comprehensive commitments it has taken on. This accession is particularly
noteworthy given Georgia’s remarkable transition to a market economy. Georgia is the fourth former
Soviet republic to join the WTO and has done so in less than 4 years after applying for membership.”
Georgia applied for WTO membership on 3 July 1996 to start negotiations with the WTO
working party on its terms of accessions. The negotiations covered all areas of WTO rules as well as
commitments on market access for both goods and services. The results of these negotiations were
adopted by the WTO General Council on 6 October 1999 and formally accepted by the national
legislature in Tbilisi in May this year.
At the General Council meeting of 6 October 1999, Mr. V. Lordkipanidze, State Minister of
Georgia, said: "We believe that expansion of the multilateral trading system will help to stop
economic nationalism and protectionism, give countries a fair foothold on the global trading market,
thus contributing to a stable and continued economic growth world-wide." He added: "I am convinced
that by assuming their rightful place in the global trading system, Georgia and other countries in
transition will soon see prosperity and stability increase along with their new, expanded activity in theworld economic arena."
At the same meeting, Mrs. Anne Anderson (Ire land), chairperson of Georgia's working party,
remarked on Georgia's speedy accession. She said that the rapid pace of this accession process
testified to the determination shown by the Georgian authorities to carry through an impressive reformprocess sustained by a high degree of trade liberalisation and full conformity with WTO rules and
disciplines. She pointed out that the fact that Georgia had been able to conclude accession
negotiations so rapidly and efficiently proved that when supported by constructive dialogue, intensive
preparatory work and good will, the WTO accession procedures had worked well.
Georgia is the fourth former Soviet republic to become a member government of the WTO,
after the Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia and Estonia. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakstan, Lithuania,
Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are in the process of negotiating their terms of entry to the
WTO.PRESS/182
Page 2/3
MOREOverall, 30 governments are currently negoti ating to join the WTO: Albania, Algeria,
Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, People's
Republic of China, Croatia, Former Yugoslav  Republic of Macedonia, Kazakstan, Lao People's
Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lithuania, Moldova, Nepal, Oman, Russian Federation, Samoa, Saudi
Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Chinese Taipei, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
All documents concerning the accession of Georgia are available on the WTO website under
"Documents on-line". As documen t symbol, type in: WT/ACC/GEO*.PRESS/182
Page 4
ENDMerchandise Trade of Georgia
(Million dollars and
percentage)
Exports (fob) Imports (cif)
1998 1999 1998 1999
Value
World 190 240 World 1055 600
CIS and Baltic States 105 110 CIS and Baltic States 385 225
Rest of the World 85 130 Rest of the World 670 375
Share
Major partners:
CIS and Baltic States 55.3 … CIS and Baltic States 36.3 …
    Russia 31.7 …     Russia 20.7 …
    Azerbaijan 9.2 …     Azerbaijan 8.5 …
    Armenia 7.5 … European Union (15) 27.7 …
Turkey 17.6 …     Germany 8.0 …
European Union (15) 9.0 …     United Kingdom 7.1 …
Switzerland 6.2 … Turkey 10.9 …
United States 7.0 …
Major product groups:
Food 35.5 … Mineral products 31.7 …
Base metals and
articles thereof20.5 … Food 18.7 …
Mineral Products 16.6 … Machinery and
mechanical appliances16.4 …
Chemicals and Rubber 12.5 … Transport facilities 10.2 …
Chemical and rubber 9.5 …
Source:    CIS Statistical Committee, "Statistical Yearbook, 1998", "Statistical
Bulletin, May 2000 #5(236)".