WTO approves Tajikistan's membership

Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon (L) and World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Pascal Lamy attend a signing ceremony of the accession protocol in Geneva, Dec 10, 2012. The General Council of WTO approved Tajikistan's accession package here on Monday and Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy signed the accession protocol. [Photo/Xinhua]

GENEVA - The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) approved Tajikistan's accession package here on Monday and Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy signed the accession protocol.

It will become the 159th member of WTO once it completes its domestic ratification procedures.

It will have to ratify the deal by June 7, 2013 and will formally become a member 30 days after the ratification, according to WTO.

Tajikistan applied for WTO membership on May 29, 2001 and the working party concluded the negotiations on Oct 26, 2012.