WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(99)/ST/109
2 December 1999
(99-5310)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Third Session
Seattle, 30 November - 3 December 1999Original:  English
BELARUS
Statement by H. E. Prof. Ural Latypov
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
(Speaking as an Observer)
The Belarus delegation has been following the Conference debate with great attention.  True,
it is here at Seattle that the fundamental principles of the new trade and economic policy are being
framed, and they will determine global development in the coming decade.  This delegation associates
itself with the spirit and concept of this policy as a whole.
Full-fledged integration to the world economy and the international trading system, including
through accession to the WTO Agreements, are part of the sustainable development strategy and a
priority of Belarus' multi-vector foreign policy.
I wish to express hope, that in the course of the coming round of multilateral trade
negotiations, account shall be taken of the interests of the developing countries and countries in
transition, and more coherence will be reached in the multilateral trading system, including by way of
its extension to new members on favourable terms.
Belarus is appreciative of the initiatives in this respect undertaken prior to the Seattle
Ministerial by the United States, on the extending of additional trade preferences to ACP and
South-Eastern Europe countries.
Belarus also welcomes the constructive decision by the Conference to open the new round of
multilateral trade negotiations, and approves of the initiative by the European Commission on
enabling acceding countries and WTO observers to effectively participate in the round.
Considering the potential global impact of the new round of multilateral trade negotiations for
the future of the international trading system as a whole, this delegation wishes to call upon
governments of the leading WTO Member States to take the fullest possible account of the interests
and coming economic policy changes of more than fifty new and future Members in the course of the
round.
Unfortunately, the existing network of Multilateral Trade Agreements is still far from fully
reflecting the special economic situation of many countries and especially of the economies in
transition.
Institutional deficiencies and lack of instruments of economic governance alone, prevent the
majority of developing and reforming economies from making efficient use of the WTO Agreements
and facilities.  I am in no doubt that you all realise the complexity of the task of co-ordinating anunprecedented economic and social reform with taking far-reaching commitments on an internationalWT/MIN(99)/ST/109
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scale.  But allow me also to share with you this delegation's profound conviction.  It is that the
participation in the multilateral trading system and the terms of such participation should be regarded
as aimed to assist the process of reform, much rather than to be made conditional on it.
We realize that this problem also remains unsolved in a number of WTO countries, including
both new and original Members.  Accordingly, we are calling upon the WTO Secretariat, UNDP,
UNCTAD, World Bank and the donors to channel their technical co-operation resources to the
implementation of institutional reforms by provid ing support to all countries in need thereof.
The Republic of Belarus welcomes the initiative in this regard undertaken by the European
Commission, on the establishment of a fund, to support ACP countries in their integration to the
multilateral trading system.  This also refers to Norway, on the subject of the creation of anindependent legal WTO rules centre.
Belarus is also highly appreciative of the analytical support by the WTO and UNCTAD
Secretariats, technical assistance of the Swiss, British and other Members' governments, technical
advice by the European Commission, aimed at assisting the negotiating process of the accession ofBelarus to the WTO.
My delegation would very much like this assistance to continue further on, in order "not to be
left out in the cold".
From this delegation's perspective, the systemic priorities on the new round's agenda should
include reaching by the multilateral trading system of genuine universality, including universal
membership in the Word Trade Organization.  The fundamental principles – non-discrimination in
international trade, predictability of improved market access, transparency of trade policies and rules,
fair competition, fostering of sustainable development and economic liberalization strategies – shouldbecome truly universal.
My delegation associates itself with opinions voiced in the general discussion by many
acceding countries, among which the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, on the
desirability of removing artificial obstacles in the WTO accession proceedings.  Accessions should be
carried out on the basis of the principle of balance in rights and obligations.  In this aspect Belarus is
supportive of the example of the United States' realistic approach towards China, and calls upon allWTO Members to follow the same pattern in negotiating with other acceding countries.
A scrutiny of the GATT founders' experience reveals, that liberalization of market access in
acceding countries should be implemented in an orderly, step-by-step fashion, in stages fine-tuned to
each individual case.  It should progress in parallel with growth in these countries' domestic demand,strengthening of competitiveness of their goods and services in external markets and increase in these
countries' export revenues.
In the next couple of years the whole world is going to be challenged with the agenda of the
new round of multilateral trade negotiations pivoted on the philosophy of true universality, opennessand global membership.  It seems that a first measure aimed at increased transparency and building
civic society confidence in the WTO, could well be an extension of access to the WTO Dispute
Settlement facility and to the WTO Integrated DataBase onto all interested governments, non-
governmental and other international organizations, irrespective of their WTO status.
Furthermore, transparency and universality objectives would only gain in credibility if the
World Trade Organization were to grant official working status to all of the six official languages of
the United Nations, including Russian, Chinese and Arabic.WT/MIN(99)/ST/109
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The Republic of Belarus will continue to invest every effort in the process of its accession to
the WTO, as well as in the future work of the Organization as a Member.  In the course of the
multilateral round Belarus will be prepared to table substantive proposals with a view to further
consolidate and strengthen the multilateral trading system.
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