| Wto gives iran green light for membership negotiations { May 26 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://news.ft.com/cms/s/59c6898c-cdd5-11d9-9a8a-00000e2511c8.htmlhttp://news.ft.com/cms/s/59c6898c-cdd5-11d9-9a8a-00000e2511c8.html
Iran set for WTO talks after US drops opposition By Frances Williams in Geneva Published: May 26 2005 12:14 | Last updated: May 26 2005 12:14
The World Trade Organisation has given the green light for Iran to begin membership negotiations after the US finally lifted its longstanding veto.
The move followed days of uncertainty over the US position in the run up to crucial talks on Iran's nuclear programme in Geneva on Wednesday between European Union foreign ministers and top Iranian negotiators.
Washington initially decided in March to let Iran's WTO application go ahead as a way of bolstering European diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to abandon nuclear activities that could be used to make atomic weapons.
But the US refused to confirm that decision until after Wednesday's meeting, which ended with a pledge by Tehran to continue the current moratorium on uranium enrichment and related activities for another two months to allow more time for a deal.
"In the European view, Iran continues to suspend its nuclear activities. They believe that a US decision to withhold its veto would help their diplomacy", a senior US official told Reuters in Washington late on Wednesday.
Iran applied to join the WTO in September 1996 but for five years the US refused even to allow the issue to be discussed. In 2001 developing countries insisted that the application go on the agenda of each meeting of the WTO's ruling general council, since when it has been consistently blocked by Washington.
The US accuses Iran of sponsoring international terrorism and trying to acquire nuclear weapons under cover of a peaceful nuclear energy programme.
Iran, which now joins 29 other countries seeking to join the 148-strong world trade body, faces a lengthy negotiating process before membership can become a reality.
Apart from changes in domestic laws and procedures to comply with WTO rules, Tehran will have to negotiate bilateral agreements with any member who requests it, giving the US another opportunity to hold up Iranian accession if it wishes.
Even in the best of circumstances, WTO membership talks normally last at least five years. Russia and Saudi Arabia, the two biggest economies currently outside the WTO, have been negotiating for a decade.
The acceptance of Iran's application follows a WTO decision last December to open accession negotiations with Iraq and Afghanistan. Libya was given the go-ahead in July 2004 after renouncing weapons of mass destruction and support for terrorism
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