WORLD TRADE WT/L/176/Rev.1
13November 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4806)
Original: English
ACCESSION OFTHE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OFYUGOSLAVIA
Communication from theFederal Republic ofYugoslavia
Revision
TheDirector-General hasreceived thefollowing communication fromthePrime Minister of
theFederal Republic ofYugoslavia.
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Iamwriting toyou,onbehalf oftheGovernment oftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia with
arequest thattheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia beadmitted tothemembership oftheWorld Trade
Organization. Deeply respectful oftheroleoftheWorld Trade Organization intheprocess ofthe
globalization oftheworld economy andinternational trade, andofitsimportance forthedevelopment
andgrowth oftheworld economy, Iwishtoadvise youoftheposition oftheYugoslav Government
thatanactive participation oftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia intheWorld Trade Organization
isoneofthepriorities ofitsforeign economic policy.
OnthebasisofUnited Nations Security Council resolution 47/1theCouncil ofGATT adopted
on16June1993adecision denying theFederal Republic ofYugoslavia therighttoparticipate inthe
activities oftheCouncil ofGATT andother GATT committees andworking bodies. Proceeding from
thesaiddecision, theTrade Negotiations Committee oftheUruguay Round subsequently decided to
suspend theFederal Republic ofYugoslavia fromthenegotiations within theUruguay Round inwhich
ithadparticipated from thebeginning ofthenegotiations in1986.
Inviewoftheabove-mentioned,duetothecircumstancesoutsideitscontrol,theFederalRepublic
ofYugoslavia, regrettably, could notcomplete thenegotiations within theUruguay Round andregulate
itsmembership intheWorld Trade Organization by1January 1995 asprovided forbyArticle XIof
theAgreement Establishing theWorld Trade Organization.
TheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia hasalways called forapeaceful political solution ofthe
Yugoslav crisis, firmly convinced thatnegotiations between equal parties aretheonlyright wayto
achieve alasting andjustsolution, stabilization anddevelopment forall.Theprincipled andconstructive
roleoftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia hasbeenreaffirmed bythePeace Agreement inDayton
andParis. Asasignofrecognition ofsuch policy oftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia, on
1October1996theUnitedNationsSecurityCounciladoptedresolution1074ontheliftingofallsanctions
imposed against Yugoslavia.
Inthiscontext, theGovernment oftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia submits therequest
tobeadmitted tothemembership oftheWorld Trade Organization inview oftheprovisions of
Article XII:1 oftheAgreement Establishing theWorld Trade Organization.
TheGovernment oftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia would welcome withpleasure any
concrete stepaimed atcreating conditions fortherealization ofthisproposal enabling aspeedy
reintegration oftheFederal Republic ofYugoslavia intothemultilateral tradesystem regulated bythe
provisions oftheWorld Trade Organization withfullrespect forthefactthat,duetotheactivities outside
itscontrol, theFederal Republic ofYugoslavia could notregulate itsstatus within theWorld Trade
Organization.