Tajikistan has been approved as a full-fledged member of the World Trade Organization, the Voice of Russia reports.

According to the Tajik Foreign Ministry, the country applied for membership back in May 2001 and talks have since been held to agree the terms of accession.

A protocol on Tajikistan joining the WTO was signed in Geneva in last December, when the country was given time to ratify the protocol.

Dushanbe is also negotiating the joining of the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.