WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/23
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1998)
Original: Spanish MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
COSTA RICA
Statement Circulated byH.E.Mr.Samuel Guzowski,
Minister forTrade andtheEconomy
Ishould liketobegin byexpressing thesincere thanks oftheCosta Rican Government tothe
Chairman oftheMinisterial Conference, HisExcellency Mr.Pascal Couchepin, Head oftheFederal
Department ofPublic Economy oftheSwiss Confederation, tohisGovernment andtotheauthorities
oftheCanton ofGeneva fortheirhospitality inhosting thisConference. Ialsowishtoconvey our
utmostappreciationtoMr.RenatoRuggiero,Director-GeneraloftheWorldTradeOrganization(WTO),
andtotheOrganization 'sSecretariat fortheirvaluable work inorganizing thismeeting.
Together withtheSecond Session oftheMinisterial Conference, weshallbecelebrating the
multilateral trading system 'shalf-century ofexistence. Thiscommemoration should provide an
opportunity forpaying tribute totheinvaluable support thatthesystem haslenttotheeconomic growth
ofsomany countries andtheprosperity oftheirpeoples. Webelieve thisisapropitious occasion for
reviewing theroadwehavetravelled sofarandforfixing theOrganization 'sobjectives forthefuture.
ThisMinisterial Conference should allow ustoexamine various fundamental elements ofthe
multilateral trading system, suchastheimplementation oftheagreements, thecontinuation ofthe
liberalizationprocessprovidedforinthebuilt-inagenda,andtheintroductionofothernegotiatingsubjects
toenable ustorespond tothenewdemands oftrade today.
Overthesethreeyears oftheWTO 'sexistence, wehavewitnessed asatisfactory implementation
oftheOrganization 'sagreements, accompanied byenhanced predictability andsecurity ofinternational
trade relations. Thestrengthening ofthedispute settlement system embodied intheUnderstanding
onRules andProcedures fortheSettlement ofDisputes hasmeant that,insituations where aMember
hasconsidered thatthebenefits accruing toitfrom thecovered agreements havebeenimpaired by
another Member 'smeasures, theDispute Settlement Body hasbeenabletomake recommendations
preserving Members 'rights andobligations. TheUnderstanding istheinstrument which hasmade
themost outstanding contribution totheimplementation, inbothletter andspirit, oftheagreements
reached. MyGovernment considers ittimely tostress today thecommitment made bytheOrganization 's
Members totheprinciples andrules ofthedispute settlement system andtostrict compliance with
thedecisions adopted bytheDispute Settlement Body.
Werecognize theprogress made sincethelastMinisterial Meeting interms ofimplementation
ofthecommitments undertaken inthebuilt-in agenda, which hascontributed totheprocess oftrade
liberalization invarious sectors. Ishould liketoexpress inparticular myGovernment 'ssatisfaction
attheresults achieved inthenegotiations onfinancial services. Costa Ricacontributed tothismajor
endeavour byundertaking substantial commitments inthissector, andthereby confirmed itsresolve
./.WT/MIN(98)/ST/23
Page2
tocontribute tothetrade liberalization process. Today Ishould liketoreaffirm oursupport forthe
continuation oftheactivities contained inthebuilt-in agenda. Among these, thework scheduled in
theagricultural sector isofenormous importance, asisthatonimproving theDispute Settlement
Understanding. Wealsolookforward withgreat interest tothestartofpreparatory work forthe
negotiations onservices. Weknow thatthereisagreatdealofground tocover inimproving therules
ontrade inservices, andtherefore hopethatthispreparatory process willbegin without anydelay.
Over thelastfiftyyears, themultilateral trading system hasbrought major advances inthe
integration oftheworld economy. However, thesuccess achieved could leadtothemistaken conclusion
thatlittleremains tobedone. Justasafewyears agotheissues ofsubsidies, anti-dumping and,a
little later, textiles, trade inservices andintellectual property, were knocking atthedoor ofthe
multilateral trading system, today there areother subjects directly related totrade which weshould
trytohelpusher in,andwhose absence from theWTO means thattheOrganization 'scoverage is
incomplete.
While thesuccesses achieved intheUruguay Round areveryvaluable, thetradeliberalization
process isanunfinished task, which wemust therefore pursue without interruption. Wetherefore
supported thecommitments made attheSingapore Ministerial Meeting concerning workoncompetition,
investment andtransparency ingovernment procurement andparticipated intheactivities oftheworking
groups subsequently established. Ishould liketomention inparticular thework carried outbythe
Working Group ontheRelationship between Trade andInvestment andstress onceagain thatwetrust
thatitsconclusions willinfuture leadtothedevelopment ofmultilateral disciplines fordirect foreign
investment intheWTO.
Oneofthesubjects thathasbecome veryimportant inrecent years isthatofelectronic trade.
Thegrowing importance ofthisactivity andthelackofborder restrictions onitmust prompt usto
examine thepossibility ofpreserving thissituation. Webelieve thattheefforts wehaveundertaken
toeliminate therestrictions existing insome sectors must beaccompanied bytheadoption of
commitments toprevent theerection ofnewbarriers inareas where theydonotyetexist.
MyGovernment wishes totakethisopportunity toreaffirm theprimacy ofthemultilateral
trading system andourbelief initsfundamental importance forachieving better levels ofeconomic
growth anddevelopment. Weconsider thatregional trade integration initiatives mayalsocontribute
toattaining these objectives, butinsodoing theymust comply withtherules andprinciples ofthe
multilateral trading system.
Finally, Ishould liketosaythatwithregard tothefuture negotiations intheWTO, the
Government ofCosta Ricaisinfavour ofincluding thevarious tradesectors. Wide-ranging negotiations
thatbring reciprocal benefits would helptohasten implementation ofthecommitments entered into
andfoster more extensive trade liberalization, thereby contributing togreater development forour
countries.
__________