Azerbaijan does not join the World Trade Organization due to double standards, President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with China’s CGTN (China Global Television Network) in Davos, Report informs.
“We are still not a member of the World Trade Organization, although we have been in an active phase of negotiations for many years – I would say for at least a couple of decades. The reason why this process did not come to its logical conclusion is exactly what you said. Protectionism, double standards, tariffs – all of these disrupt the core values of the World Trade Organization. We see that countries can apply tariffs and use protectionist mechanisms in order to protect their markets, which absolutely contradict the principles of WTO,” Ilham Aliyev said.
“Therefore, we are in the process of negotiations. But at the same time, we are seriously evaluating the advantages and disadvantages. One of those concerns is exactly what we just discussed. Another one is that our industry and our export potential must be well-prepared for that. Because, so far, a main part of our exports is fossil fuel, and for that, we don’t need to be member of WTO; you sell your commodities on the market.”
Having noted that opening the market to all the world members of WTO will increase competition, the head of state stressed that at the same time, this may damage the interests of local producers.
