Kazakhstan hopes to complete negotiations on its accession to the World Trade Organization by the end of 2010, the country's vice premier said on Friday.
"I hope that by the end of this year we will reach a consensus on major clauses with our partners in WTO accession talks," Umirzak Shukeyev told a business forum in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital.
He said that establishing a customs union with Russia and Belarus would not impede the country's accession to the global trade body.
"The WTO accession talks are being conducted simultaneously. We are convinced that the creation of a customs union and a single economic space and accession to the WTO do not contradict each other, they are complementary. And WTO accession is another additional economic priority for our states," the official added.
In June 2009, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus notified the WTO of their intention to join the world trade club as a customs union. Four months later, the three former Soviet republics announced they would resume talks on WTO accession separately, but from synchronized positions.
The Customs Union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan formally came into existence on January 1, 2010, but is unable to start working fully until disputes are resolved and a customs code comes into effect.
