WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/90
11December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5264)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
MONGOLIA
Statement byH.E. Mr.Sh.Altangerel
Minister forExternal Relations
Itisagreathonour formetoaddress thisveryfirstMinisterial Conference oftheWorld Trade
Organization, anOrganization thatmany inthisworld expect tobecrucial vehicle leading tofreer
trade andstronger growth intothenextcentury. Onbehalf ofmyGovernment Iwishevery success
tothisimportant gathering. Iwishtoextend mysincere congratulations toYour Excellency onyour
well-deservedelectionasChairmanoftheConference.Throughyou,IwouldliketothanktheSingapore
Government andthepeople ofSingapore foritsexcellent organization oftheConference andforits
warm hospitality.
Ontheeveofthe21stcentury theprocesses ofdemocratic change andeconomic interdependence
embrace agreater partofthefamily ofnations. Mankind isliving atamomentous timefullofboth
opportunities andchallenges. Wehavetoseizetheopportunities andmeetthechallenges. Thecreation
oftheWTO isanopportunity and,intheyears ahead, weallhavetowork hardtorealize thebenefits
thataglobal freetrade managed bytheWTO canoffertoassist thegoals ofgrowth. With growing
interdependence andintegration comes agrowing commonality ofinterests andwemustbuild onthat.
Crucially, whatlooks certain bynowisthatfuture economic growth andfuture progress canonlybe
achieved through cooperative efforts intheareaoffreertrade.
Astheworld isgetting smaller mycountry, Mongolia, ismoving towards deeper integration
intotheglobalprocesses.Interdependenceandglobalizationareknockingatourdoor.Soisopportunity.
Since theearly 1990s, Mongolia hasoperated acomplete overhaul ofitspolitical institutions opting
fordemocracy andaccountable government. Wearenowanopen anddemocratic society, andwe
canbeproud ofthisachievement. There is,however, aheavy legacy thatweneedtoovercome. This
isthelegacy ofthecommand economy andpoordevelopment. Therefore, thegoals ofeconomic reform
andtransition tomarket-based economy remain highontheGovernment 'sagenda. Promoting trade
andfostering investment constitute apriority partoftheGovernment reform package. Forourefforts
tobesuccessful weconsider international engagement tobeanessential element oftheprocess. We
areoftheviewthatMongolia 'saccession totheWTO willoperate insuchawayastocontribute as
much aspossible tothedemocratic reform andliberalization efforts. Wearehopeful thatthe
WTO agenda willdevelop tobeabroad andbalanced one.
Mongolia 'saccession totheWTO isamilestone event formycountry. LastThursday,
Mongolia 'sParliament ratified theMarrakesh Agreement establishing theWorld Trade Organization.
Athome, wehavetodoanimpressive amount ofwork tobuild domestic legislation consistent with
theWTO. Being partofaworldwide multilateral trading system isachallenge forallofushere.
Thechallenge comes inmany forms. Training people andenhancing human capacities isoneofthem.
MyGovernment considers itimportant thattheWTO Secretariat takesspecific actions inorder toassist
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thenewly acceding Members inmeeting thischallenge. MyGovernment would alsowelcome technical
assistance indeveloping legislation ontrade-related matters.
Ifonelooks atMongolia 'sposition asadeveloping andland-locked country, onecanunderstand
thatMongolia 'sprocess ofintegration intotheglobal system isnotaneasyone.Butweareconfident
thatMongolia 'sspecific location canbeovercome through international cooperation, especially the
onewhich isdirected atreversing thetendency towards marginalization ofland-locked nations.
Globalization maymean things andmaycome inmany forms. Myunderstanding isthatoneofits
meanings istosaythatthrough therulesanddisciplines ofamultilateral system theprocess ofintegration
should embrace allnations andbenefit every nation.
Mongolia iswilling topartake intheformulation ofthese rules anddisciplines andabide by
them topromote growth andensure asafer world inthenextcentury.