. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(03)/ST/159
14 September 2003
(03-4955)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fifth Session
Cancún, 10 - 14 September 2003Original:  English
UKRAINE
Statement by H.E. Mr Mykola Azarov
First Vice Minister, Minister of Finance
(As an Observer)
The Government of Ukraine recognizes the central rule played by the World Trade
Organization in the international legal architecture underpinning the stable development  of
international trade and of the world economy as a whol e.  It is impossible to imagine the current world
economic system without the enforceable trade rules provided by the WTO.  The WTO system
regulates a wide range of trade and trade-related issues for its Members and provides a system of legal
protection for economic interests.  Maintaining, strengthening and developing the WTO system arepre-conditions for further stable development of the world economy, which, in turn, will form the
basis for the future development of world society.  Ukraine firmly supports the further strengthening
of WTO through successful completion of the Doha Round of negotiations.  Ukraine is making every
effort to become a Member of WTO, and relies on your support to acquire Membership next year.
The new round of negotiations on further liberalization of access to the goods and services
market launched in Doha two years ago reflects important changes in the opinion of the world'ssocieties with regard to the globalization of the world economy.  These changes are reflected in the
very name of the Round of negotiations - the Development Round - and this is not accidental.  The
goals, tasks and content of the Doha Round stipul ate that, in the context of further WTO trade
liberalization, priority should be given to the problems of the developing countries and the least-
developed countries.  The Doha Round documents stress that liberalization is not an end in itself, butonly an instrument to ensure the stable. consensual development of society and the enhancement of
the well-being of people in all countries of the world.  Two years ago, WTO adopted a decision in
Doha recognizing that stability in the world financial and economic system and constant development
of the world economy as a whole would not be possible without addressing problems of poverty,
ensuring social well-being, and preserving differences among economies and respect of thepopulations of the least-developed countries.  This decision was important, since the Doha Round has
in fact become a response to the new social and political problems of international scope which are
reflected in the events of 11 September 2001 and in the measures that followed, reinforcing security in
many regions of the world.  The concept of the Doha Round makes it clear that simplified concepts
allowing non-balanced economic growth to become a priority above social justice and harmony arenot acceptable.
Our wish is that the negotiating process within the scope of the Doha Round should
successfully continue and we hope that coordinated and balanced decisions favouring all participants
will be achieved during the Cancún Ministerial Meeting.  We are sure that one of the results of the
Doha Round of negotiations will be the formulation of framework rules for equitable economic
cooperation providing for the balanced development of all countries. These framework rules shouldWT/MIN(03)/ST/159
Page 2
also provide for effective economic aid to the least-developed countries, from the developed ones and
make inadmissible any use of the WTO as  political  component in any process of new colonization of
developing countries.
WTO has become a leading force in providing for economic safety in the system of legal
order of the global economy.  This makes WTO and its Member Countries more responsible for the
preparation and adoption of common decisions, wh ich would facilitate the elimination of any
contradictions between the trends of economic expansion of developed countries and the interests of
developing countries in ensuring social and economic well-being.  We are certain that an
understanding of the importance of such decisions is a basis for strengthening international legal and
economic infrastructure of WTO and the timely avoidance of threats from new conflicts on a world
scale.
It is our opinion that discussion of problems in ensuring balanced development is the most
important component of the Doha Round of negotiations on, liberalization, of access to goods and
services markets.  There should be no doubt that Ukraine supports the goal and content of the Doha
Round of negotiations and wishes to become a WTO Member and participant in the negotiations inthe nearest future.
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