Ukraine's statement about restrictions introduced by Russia upheld by Turkey, EU, U.S., Canada at WTO meeting - Ukrainian economic development ministry
KYIV. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Ukraine made a statement at the WTO General Council meeting in Geneva that Russia introduced, starting from January 1, certain unlawful and discriminative trade restrictions, Ukrainian Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister - Trade Representative Natalia Mykolska has said.
"The stance was upheld by Turkey, the EU, the U.S., and Canada in their statements. Russia gave no substantiated explanations," she wrote in her Twitter blog.
Media reported earlier, citing Ukraine's Economic Development Ministry, that in mid-January 2016, the WTO Secretariat distributed amongst WTO members the statement made by Ukraine of the allegedly unlawful and discriminative restrictions introduced by Russia. In the document, Kyiv drew attention that Russia undertook several politically-motivated measures to restrict trade following Ukraine's move to start implementation of a deeper and comprehensive free trade area with the EU, starting from January 1, 2016.
In Kyiv's view, such measures as the Russian ban on imports of certain agriculture products, raw materials and foods originating from Ukraine, as well as the cancelation of the preference trade regime previously maintained in conformity with the treaty on free trade within the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Russia's restriction of the transit traffic of Ukrainian goods via Russia to Kazakhstan are in violation of international law rules, the WTO Treaty and fundamental principles, and also of the obligations that Russia bound itself upon as a WTO member.
Back then, Ukrainian economic development minister Aivaras Abromavicius said that the Ukrainian government planned to appeal Moscow's acts via WTO with support from its trade partners, and to introduce alternative ways of transit and to work together with the business circles on gaining access to new markets.
Maxim Medvedkov, director of the trade negotiations department at the Russian Economic Development Ministry told Interfax that this is Ukraine's expected reaction "to our embargo in response to their sanctions". "Our commentary was short: all that we do is consistent with WTO," Medvedkov said.
