WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/345
29 February 2000
(00-0743)
Original:  English
PROTOCOL OF ACCESSION OF GEORGIA
Communication from Georgia
The following communication, dated 25 February 2000, addressed to the Director-General,
has been received from the Government of Georgia.
_______________
I have the honour to inform you that new parliamentary elections held in Georgia on
31 October 1999, which was followed by a number of organizational arrangements, resulted in the
unexpected delay of the process of consideration of the Protocol of Accession of Georgia to the WTO
by the supreme legislative body of Georgia.  Due to this fact, regrettably, the Parliament of Georgia
cannot accomplish the ratification procedures of the Protocol until 1 March 2000 when the time-limitfor such ratification expires (paragraph 7 of the Protocol of Accession of Georgia to the WTO,
approved by the General Council, docu ment WT/ACC/GEO/33 of 6 October 1999).
Under the circumstances I have the honour to convey the request of the Government of
Georgia on inclusion in the agenda for the WTO General Council, at its nearest meeting, of an item
concerning the extension of the time-limit for accomplishment of all necessary legal procedures with
the purpose of ratification of the Protocol of Accession to the WTO.  The Government of Georgiarequests the extension of the time-limit until May 15, 2000.
_______________
In view of the above communication, a Draft Decision for consideration by the General
Council is being issued as document WT/GC/W/398.
__________