Vietnam hits snags in WTO bid
Vietnam has run into some major snags in its efforts to
join the World Trade Organization by the end of 2004.
Although Hanoi was keen on holding the next working
party meeting in December, WTO officials in Geneva
have pushed back the date to sometime between
February and April next year, say trade experts close
to the process. Some countries have complained of
Vietnam's failure to answer issues raised at the last
meeting in April, including the question of transparency
in issuing new regulations.
They also believe that
legislative reforms have not been put on a fast track. In
addition, Vietnam did not release its revised offer on
tariffs and services until late October, more than three
months later than anticipated. "There is already
scepticism about their seriousness," says one WTO
expert, who believes it may take Vietnam at least
another four years to enter the WTO. But Vietnam may
simply suffer from a lack of technical capacity, other
analysts say. Vietnam's Ministry of Trade did not
respond to a request for information about the delayed
schedule.
The Far Eastern Economic Review - November 07, 2002.
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