. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/ST/97
2 December 1999
(99-5333)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third SessionSeattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  English
BULGARIA
Statement by H.E. Mr. Valentin Vassilev
Minister of Trade and Tourism
We have all come here because of our conviction that we have to pursue the liberalization of
the world trade.
However, we are aware of the increasing difficulties and mounting resistance that the further
liberalization will encounter.  The protests we are witnessing here in Seattle come to prove thisobservation.
Our countries are faced with different problems, as the expectations about the future of the
WTO are different.  This has become clear in the statements of the Ministers from the least-developed
countries, from the developing countries, from the economies in transition, as well as the developedcountries.
Therefore, it is our task to come to an agreement on the major principles that will make the
subsequent negotiations successful;  negotiations in which each group of countries will find its place
and protect at least part of its interests.
1. We must admit that at the dialogue of the WTO with the public and the cooperation with the
trade unions and the media have been extremely inef ficient so far.  What we need is a fundamental
change, as the support of the public is indispensabl e to the attainment of our goals both within the
WTO framework and within our countries.
2. We need similar cooperation with the IMF, the World Bank and other international
organizations, whose rules sometimes differ from the WTO principles.
3. We have to agree to expand the scope of the forthcoming negotiations as much as possible
and to make the schedule of work as short as possible, i.e. to conduct the negotiations within three to
four years.
4. Our future decisions should be consistent with the principles of sustainable development,
protection of the environment, human  health and labour conditions.
5. The trade liberalization should promote development and alleviate poverty.  This means that
he least-developed countries, developing countries and economies in transition need special attention
in the course of the forthcoming negotiations.
6. We need to take in to account the temporary difficulties that a given country, region or
community may experience.WT/MIN(99)/ST/97
Page 2
7. We have to encourage the regional free trade agreements, in which greater liberalization is
achieved than in the WTO.
8. Regrettably, the WTO has not yet expressed a firm position with regard to the military
conflicts that greatly impede free trade, e.g. the imposed embargo, the closed roads and railways, the
inhibited navigation along the river Danube as a result of the wars waged by Milosevic have inflicted
the greatest losses to Bulgaria's foreign trade.
Bulgaria will take an active part in the forthcoming round of multilateral trade negotiations.
We shall make efforts to expand the access of our goods and services to other markets and to reduce
or eliminate the existing tariff and non-tariff barriers to our exports.
These negotiations should be based on the principles of the single undertaking, and balance
and equity in order to ensure benefits to all participants and to make them transparent to the public.
We believe that the negotiations should encompass agriculture, services, non-agricultural
products, the additional protection of geographical  indications, investments, competition, trade
facilitation and transparency in government procurement.  We should not neglect the issues of e-
commerce, the relationship between trade and labour standards and the impact of trade on the
environment.
As to agricultural products, our main objective should be to improve the market access, which
has to be accompanied by reduction of export subsidies and domestic support, and to take account of
food safety and environmental protection.  We should address also the social problems of rural areas.
Bulgaria strictly fulfils her commitments w ithin the WTO framework.  Furthermore, the
liberalization we have undertaken goes far beyond these commitments, as we do not subsidize theproduction and export of agricultural and industrial products, we do not apply quantitative restrictions
and taxes on imports and exports, we provide duty-free access for imports from least-developed
countries and preferential access for developing countries.
Bulgaria will continue to be an active participant in the processes of further liberalization.
Notwithstanding the different positions expressed here, I am confident that we shall all come to a
compromise and that the declaration to be adopted at the end of the Conference will open up the wayto a round of further broad-based negotiations.
__________