KIEV, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed on Wednesday that the country has signed a trade pact with Kyrgyzstan, the last bilateral protocol needed for Kiev to join the World Trade Organization.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko announced on Tuesday that the deal on access to goods and services had been signed with the Central Asian country, a former Soviet ally. Kyrgyzstan had previously withheld its signature over its claim that Ukraine owed it $27 million in Soviet-era debt.

Foreign Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said: "I can officially confirm that Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan have signed an agreement on the WTO accession."

Ukraine has been seeking the WTO membership for 14 years.

The country's president, Viktor Yushchenko, who declared accession to the global trade body as a top priority immediately after coming to power in 2004, said on Tuesday that Ukraine might become the WTO member by the end of this year.