[26 September 2007]

STOCKHOLM, (Saba)- On the sidelines of his current participation in Integrated Framework for Trade conference in Stockholm, Minister of Trade and Industry Yahya al-Mutawakil met on Tuesday with British State Minister Gareth Thomas, official of the Middle East Department at the Swedish Foreign Ministry Peter Tejler and Canadian ambassador to WTO Doon Stevenson separately.

The minister briefed them on steps taken by Yemen to join the World Trade Organization as well as the required financial and technical needs for this move, pointing out that Yemen has amended a number of laws to cope with WTO integration basics.

He discussed with the British minister trade and economic relations between the two countries, in addition to assistance of the UK to support Yemen's effort to access the WTO.

Al-Mutawakil also reviewed with the Swedish official Sweden's role in theframework of the Integrated Framework Program (IF) and Yemen's benefit from it.

As for the Canadian ambassador to WTO, head of Negotiations Committee ofIndustrial Products, al-Mutawakil cooperation relations between the two countries and the Canadian support for Yemen to integrate with the WTO.

The Canadian ambassador expressed his country's readiness to support Yemen's effort to access the WTO.

NN/AM

Saba