WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/62
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-2063)
Original: English MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
UKRAINE
Statement Circulated byMr.Sergly G.Osyka,
Minister forForeign Economic Relations andTrade
(AsAnObserver)
Iamveryhonoured toparticipate intheSecond Ministerial Conference oftheWorld Trade
Organization.
Iamalsodelighted thattheConference coincides withthecelebration ofthe50thAnniversary
ofthemultilateral trading system. Itisappropriate thattheSecond Ministerial Conference oftheWorld
Trade Organization isheldinGeneva, theveryplace where thebases forthemultilateral trading system
were set50years ago,andwhere thefirstround ofthemajor trade negotiations washeld.
Halfacentury haselapsed sincethesememorable events. During thistimethelegalframework
formultilateral conduct ofinternational trade hasgone through alongandcomplicated process of
evolution anddevelopment, involving moreandmoresectors ofinternational trade. Andtheconclusion
oftheUruguay Round, together withthecreation oftheWorld Trade Organization, hasbrought into
existence aqualitatively improved legalprocess foramore dynamic economic environment through
thecreation ofamore open andpredictable international trade system. These actions create new
opportunitiesforthedevelopmentofbothabetterinternationalcommunity,aswellasimprovedeconomic
conditions inevery country.
Oneoftheimportant accomplishments inthe50years longhistory oftheworld trade system
isthatexport growth rateispermanently exceeding production growth rate(in1997, exports increased
three times faster thanproduction), andthesignificant growth inthenumber ofcustoms unions and
free-trade areas formed bynations enjoying different levels ofeconomic development. These
developments havegreatly facilitated market access ingoods andservices.
Itwasnotverylongago,attheFirst Ministerial Conference inSingapore, thatimportant
decisions weremade directed attheelimination oftariff andnon-tariff trade barriers andthefurther
reduction ofprotectionism inworld trade. However, Iamverypleased tonotethat,inmyopinion,
during thisshort period oftimesomuch hasbeenaccomplished. Ireferspecifically tothesuccessful
completion ofmultilateral negotiations onbasic telecommunications andfinancial services.
Atthepresent time, atthethreshold ofnewMillennium, thetradesystem isatacrucial point.
Itisfacing newtasksandchallenges which mustbesolved before thesystem enters the21stCentury.
Thenewround ofmultilateral trade talks, which istostartinthiscentury, willbeofparamount
importance inthisrespect.WT/MIN(98)/ST/62
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Thisisimportant forUkraine, aState seeking toparticipate inthisnewround oftalksasa
fullMember oftheWTO. Andconsidering theefforts oftheGovernment ofUkraine intheprocess
ofaccession totheWTO, Ibelieve itsparticipation inthetalkstobeadistinct possibility. Ukraine
haschosen anabsolutely correct pathinseeking WTO membership, apathtested bydozens ofother
nations. Itisthepathofbuilding mutual relations ininternational tradeuponfoundations, acceptable
throughout theworld -namely therules contained intheWTO Agreements.
Withrespect totheprocess ofaccession, Ukraine hasmettwice withtheWTO Working Party
since theSingapore Ministerial WTO Conference. Thesecond ofthese meetings tookplace on
24-25 November 1997.
In1997, Ukraine alsobegan toholdbilateral talkswithWTO Member States onmutual market
access issues. Fiverounds ofsuchtalkstookplace inthecourse oftheyear. Generally, Ukraine
maintained talkswith22countries, aswellastheEU.Among itsnegotiating partners aretheUnited
States, Canada, Australia, Japan andtheCEFTA countries.
Pursuant totheconclusions ofthelast,the50thmeeting oftheWorking Party, themain
directions oftheGovernment ofUkraine inthesphere ofaccession totheWTO fortheyear1998are:
- Tocontinue negotiations withWTO Member States onmarket methods andtoenter
intorelevant bilateral agreements;
- todetermine andcoordinate transitional periods inthereform oftheforeign trade
regime;
- tosettle problematic issues oftariffandnon-tariff technical regulations inUkraine and
tobring them inconformity withtheinternational GATT/WTO rulesandprinciples;
- todrafttheWorking Party Report andtheProtocol onAccession ofUkraine tothe
WTO;
- toparticipate fullyandpositively atthenextWorking Party Meeting, scheduled by
theWTO Secretariat totakeplace inearly June1998.
Questions puttocountries seeking WTO membership ontheirlawsandregimes relating to
foreigntradearethebestindicatorsofprogressintheaccessionprocess.Suchquestionsalsodemonstrate
thedegree ofinterest, understanding, andsupport onthepartoftheWTO Member States. Inthecase
ofUkraine, thequestions haveencouraged theharmonization ofitslawswiththerulesandrequirements
oftheUruguay Round Agreements andthedecisions oftheFirstMinisterial Conference.
Theprocess ofharmonization istaking place now, being supported byrelevant provisions of
ourPresident 'srecent State oftheUnion Message. Moreover, on14January 1998 theGovernment
ofUkraine approved theAction Programme for1998which setsthemain priorities fortheeconomic
reform ofUkraine. TheGovernment undertakes topromote inevery waypossible thedevelopment
ofentrepreneurship, andtoabolish administrative, economic andorganizational impediments. Italso
undertakes tosimplify theregistration system, tomake itmore transparent, toreduce thenumber of
commercial activities subject tolicensing, etc.ThenewCustoms andAnti-Dumping Codes ofUkraine
havealready beendrafted. Thedirections ofthereconstruction ofagricultural enterprises havebeen
set.WT/MIN(98)/ST/62
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Finally, Iwould liketoexpress myfullconfidence intheability ofWTO torealize itsmandate
fully,particularlyinthesphereofglobalizationandliberalizationofworldeconomy,andintheexpansion
ofeconomic interdependence among States. Iamconfident thatWTO willbecome amore effective
instrument ofpromotion inthesuccessful development ofemerging andtransitional economies, as
wellasintheirintegration within theinternational trade system and,indeed, theworld economy.
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