Keep politics out of WTO entry: Developing nations

Politics should not influence who is allowed to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), its developing country members said in a statement on Monday.

"Commercial technical and legal considerations should be the only deciding factors in every accession process," the bloc of small and emerging nations said in a declaration for release at the WTO's ministerial meeting in Geneva, obtained by Reuters.

Russia and Iran are the two biggest economies that remain outside the 153-member WTO, which serves as a referee for international commercial dealings.

Because accession to the WTO requires implicit agreement from all its members, political skirmishes often cause obstacles to joining. Russia has faced resistance from former Soviet states and China's road to membership was also long and difficult.

The Geneva-based organisation also serves as a platform for countries to negotiate global trade accords like the Doha Round, which is meant to give poor country exports a boost.

In their statement, the developing nations said they wanted to see that deal wrapped up as soon as possible but said that rich nations would have to make that happen.

"We are disappointed that political commitments to seek an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the Round in 2010 are not yet translated into concrete flexible negotiating positions, and call on developed countries to show the required leadership to advance the negotiations," they said.

The ministerial meeting which will officially open on Monday afternoon is not meant as a negotiating session for the Doha Round. Instead, top officials will take the pulse of the global trading system and discuss ways to improve their collaboration.