British minister: Azerbaijan must decide whether it’s time to join the World Trade Organization

“Britain has never had such close economic relations with Azerbaijan as it is now, and we are working with the Azerbaijani government to identify areas that can be developed”, the British Minister for European Affairs David Lidington said, the British Embassy in Azerbaijan reported.

The Minister noted that after the “Eastern Partnership” summit in Warsaw, the relations of these countries with the EU entered a new phase, and the relationships are mutually beneficial. Lidington stressed the importance of the idea of a free trade area in the bilateral relations: “A full and comprehensive free trade zone is an important unit of the “Eastern Partnership”, but the government must first decide whether it’s time to join the World Trade Organization”.

According to the minister, in addition to closer trade relations, there are other benefits that may be offered to countries in the region: “The road to EU membership will bring tangible benefit to the nations of Azerbaijan and the region and the EU”.


/APA/