TASHKENT, July 24. /TASS/. Representative of Uzbekistan with UN and other international organizations in Geneva Ulugbek Lapasov met WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo and handed over to him a memorandum of foreign trade, which, in the opinion of WTO head, signifies start of the official negotiating process of entering the organization, the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan reports on the website on Wednesday.

"Roberto Azevedo assured that representatives of the (WTO) Secretariat will provide all the required help and support to Uzbekistan in this process, including successful next meeting of the working group on Uzbekistan’s entry into WTO in 2019," the press service reports. Azevedo particularly noted that Uzbekistan prepared a formal document for its presentation to WTO member-states for the first time in 15 years, according to the press service.