GENEVA: Ukraine on Friday officially joined the World Trade Organisation, becoming its 152th member.

A large signboard in front of the WTO building welcoming the entry of the former Soviet state marked the occasion, although no formal ceremony was planned for the day.

The Ukrainian delegation will be received at the WTO in the day, the Ukrainian economic service and commercial head Volodymyr Baluta told AFP.

"We will reassure the WTO that Ukraine is ready to participate in the Doha round trade (liberalisation) negotiations and to the process of accession of other countries," he said.

The official signing of the adhesion treaty by Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko and WTO director general Pascal Lamy was held early February in great pomp in Geneva.

The entrance of Ukraine before Russia could allow it to have a say on the difficult negotiations of Moscow's own admission to the WTO, which has already proved to be a delicate subject.


- AFP/so