INTERVIEW-Ethiopia not ready for WTO liberalisation steps

* Says WTO members applying pressure

* Focus on telecoms, banking sectors

By Barry Malone

ADDIS ABABA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Ethiopia is not ready to bow to pressure to liberalise its telecoms and banking sectors while negotiating terms to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), its trade minister said on Wednesday.

Analysts say the giant Horn of Africa country's hopes for WTO membership hinge on calls for the authorities in Addis Ababa to open those areas to international competition.

"There is a demand from some WTO member countries for Ethiopia to liberalise some of our service sectors and it will be subject to discussion in future negotiations," Trade Minister Girma Birru told Reuters in an interview.

"But from what we see now, we are not convinced it will be appropriate for our own economic policies to liberalise at this stage."

Girma said his ministry was answering questions about the Ethiopian economy from WTO members. U.S. officials have publicly said the nation should liberalise those sectors.