UN General Assembly
1993

NAFTA represents an undertaking to ensure shared prosperity through collective arrangements. As we enter a new century, these three countries realize that economic prosperity depends, as never before, on the opening of new markets across the world and increasing the volume of world trade. We hope that when this arrangement is established it will be of great benefit to the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean. Economic development should not run counter to the preservation and protection of the environment. Both concepts are valid for everyone, irrespective of differences in countries’ levels of economic development. Environmental degradation will continue if we keep on applying such ambiguous criteria as "environmental conditionality". The great meeting on the environment held at Rio in 1992, after very lengthy deliberations, points us in the direction of "sustainable development" - development that can be made compatible with protection of the environment. We need to fulfil the agreement that was reached at Rio. We must not go back on the commitments undertaken there. Neither should there be double standards - different