WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/29
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1987)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Statement Circulated byMr.JánFoltín,
State Secretary oftheMinistry ofEconomy
Onbehalf oftheSlovak delegation, Iwishtoexpress mygratitude andappreciation totheSwiss
Government forcordial andwarm welcome andexcellent organization ofthisConference. Intheoutset
Iwould liketoensure allparticipants thatSlovakia willinapositive waycontribute tothesuccess
ofthisundoubtedly important event inglobal context.
Ontheoccasion ofthe50thanniversary ofestablishment ofmultilateral trading system itis
themostappropriate timetopayatribute tothesystem which tolarge extent contributed through its
principles andrulestotheglobal growth, stability andliberalization oftrade relations andevenmore
important tomake objective assessment ofitsachievements.
Ithasbeenatoppriority tointegrate Slovakia intotheworld economy. GATT andlaterWTO
enabledustofulfilthistaskinaquick,broadandtransparentmanner.Strongcommitmenttomultilateral
trading system isthusparallel tobirthday ofoursovereign State. Byreaffirming theprimacy ofthe
multilateral trading system, which contributed toremarkable growth intrade ingoods andservices
wesupport further comprehensive multilateral liberalization, where allmembers would findtheir
possibility toaddress concerns theymayhave. Weareaware ofthemandfuture success ofthesystem
would depend onhowwewillbeabletorespond adequately tothese sometimes complicated issues.
Wearealsoconvinced thatregional arrangements which specifically forCentral Europe have
played andplaypositive roleandforSlovakia evenmore important incomplete reintegration ofour
economy inbroader context. Weexpressed thisviewinSingapore andourconviction thatregional
approach isnotinconflict withmultilateral system butcontributes toliberalization effort onglobal
basis remains. Inspiteofsome worry expressed, which hasbecome afrequent phenomenon within
theWTO, evergrowing number ofsuchagreements proved tohaverational background. Itisour
mutual tasktodiscuss openly existing concerns andwejustcanencourage thisprocess aimed at
reasonablesolution.Inthisregardwerenewourcommitmenttocompatibilityandconsistencyofexisting
agreements withthemultilateral trading system.
Withsatisfaction westategrowing interest ofcountries seeking accession totheWTO, which
isconfirming attractiveness ofWTO asatrulyglobal organization safeguarding stability, predictability
andlegalsecurity ininternational traderelations. Weareverykeentospeed uptheprocess ofaccession
ofapplicantcountrieswhichareourtraditionalandperspectivetradepartners.Rapidaccession,however,
should bebased onthequality ofmarket access commitments andoverall adherence ofdomestic legal
system toWTO therules. Commercially viable terms should beacornerstone ofaccession process
andleading principal inthewhole process.WT/MIN(98)/ST/29
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Aclear signal forthisMinisterial Meeting, thatbalanced agenda which includes proper
assessment ofimplementation andrealistically drafted future agenda being partially given byexisting
commitments butalsobyambitions taken from emerging necessity. Effective implementation of
commitments isapriority matter forus.Itshould beacknowledged, however, thattherearedifficulties
inimplementation oftheAgreements especially fordeveloping countries andtosomeextent forcountries
intransition. Wearenotquestioning liberalization assuch, andhadreiterated itmany times, butsome
aspects ofitsimplementation, asfarasspeed, scope, manner ofassertion orunequal benefits sharing
should betaken intoaccount. Thorough, broad andobjective assessment ofexisting commitments
isacommon denominator foreffective functioning ofthesystem aswellasforpossible inclusion of
newareas, brought onagenda inSingapore, intonegotiating process. Meaning ofobjective analysis
weunderstand asopen dialogue taking intodebate both positive andnegative consequences of
liberalization forallareas covered byrespective agreements fromtheaspect ofdifferent countries of
various degrees ofdevelopment. Webelieve thatthisistherightstarting point forfuture negotiations
andprecondition ofmany countries forserious considering offurther liberalization efforts.
EconomicdifficultiesofAsianeconomieshavesentastrongmessagewhichhavetobeaddressed,
sincetheyarechallenging international trading system. Weshould beaware ofnegative consequences
offinancial crisis, which maystrengthen tendencies forprotectionist pressures. Itisinevitable toprove
thatadequate answer istokeepmarkets openandmultiply efforts tocontinue ineconomic reforms
based onmultilateral liberalization. Current developments alsoconfirmed close interrelationship or
interdependence oftrade withfinancial andfiscal policies. Coherent approach inseeking solutions
should befound inacomplex waywhere improved coordination between WTO andIMFisvital.
"Future ispresent" inbuilt-in agenda. Wereiterate oursupport forinitiation ofnegotiations
incommitted areas, namely agriculture andservices inanagreed timetable. Asfarasagriculture is
concerned, Slovakia, having obeyed general rulesofliberalization formulas during fundamental reform
inthissector hasleftittooopened andthusmore vulnerable. Here, oureffort would rather incline
topressure onpartners todomore inopening uptheirmarkets thantoseekprotectionist path, aimed
atcreating competitive equilibrium.
Successful conclusion ofnegotiations onbasictelecommunications andfinancial services have
proved ourability tofindcompromise eveninmostsensitive issues. Slovakia hascontributed tothese
results asanactive participant andexpressed inconcrete terms itssupportive approach toliberalization
trends. Additionally, wehavejoined ITAinitiative ingiven time-frame which asaconsequence, further
strengthened liberal environment inSlovak market. However, thelatest trends inbroadening scope
andproduct coverage seems togowellbeyond original intentions iscreating certain concerns andwould
notbeawayhowwewould liketoseetheliberalization process. Ourpreference iscomprehensive
rather thannarrow sectoral approach, where share ofbenefits foreachmember maybebetter achieved.
Liberal regimes resulting from liberalization efforts indecades needtoday more thanbefore
certain possibilities tocorrect negative developments, therefore weencourage tospeed upthework
oneffective andfairmechanism forremedial purposes, especially inservices areawhere work on
emergency safeguards, subsidies hasnotbeencompleted.
Wereaffirm ourdesire topursue issues ofcrucial importance forfurther improvement of
economic environment aimed atsustainable development, growth andjobcreation. Inthiscontext
development inAsiahassentalsomessages oncrucial importance ofserious consideration ofinvestment
issues. Trade andinvestment, being amatter ofexamination asaresult ofSingapore, should become
atopicofpriority infuture WTO agenda together withother relevant issues astrade andcompetition
aswellastrade facilitation. Proper addressing ofthese complex issues would significantly contribute
toourability toreact inaprompt manner totherealities oftoday'seconomic developments.WT/MIN(98)/ST/29
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While wearesupportive todiscuss electronic commerce asatrulyperspective topic, weare
convinced thatfurther analysis ofthisissuebefore committing ourselves, isnecessary. Perhaps, Council
forTrade inServices would serve asaninstitutional basis, since there issome rational behind.
Inconclusion, Iwould liketoreiterate position ofSlovakia, thatwearepositive inadopting
ofambitious, comprehensive, butbalanced agenda addressing issues, which aretobeincluded into
mandate forthenextministerial meeting withcreating realistic future-looking agenda andadequate
time-frame forthepreparatory work onnegotiations inthecoming "round forthenextcentury".
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