. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/11 
1 December 2009 
 (09-6060) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   Spanish 
 
  
ADDRESS BY H.E. MR. MARIO MATUS 
CHAIRMAN OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL 
  
 In May of this year, the General Council took a Decision which set the date and venue of this 
Conference and its overall theme, and which gave me a mandate to make all necessary arrangements 
to prepare this Seventh Session, in consulta tion with Members and in cooperation with the 
Director-General and the Swiss authorities. 
 
 It was an honour to have been given this manda te, which I have tried to carry out with full 
participation, inclusiveness and tran sparency, according to the "FIT" principle.  I am sincerely grateful 
to all delegations for their constructive spirit and c ooperation in participating in the preparations for 
this Conference.  I trust that the next three days will also be marked by respect for these principles. 
 
 From the very start of this work, it was clear that this Conference would be very different 
from those of the past.  For example, this time th e General Council is not proposing a draft Ministerial 
Declaration for consideration by the Ministers.  Instead, the idea is to hold a forum on the overall 
theme of "The WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current Global Economic Environment".  There will be two Working Se ssions in which you can discuss, openly and 
interactively, any aspect of your Organization - as you see it today, and as you might wish to see it in 
the future.   We are hoping for active participation and th e contribution of fresh ideas in these Working 
Sessions, and your statements to the Plenary Session will be invaluable in guiding the future work of 
your representatives here in Geneva.  At the end of the meeting, the Chair will make a brief summary 
on his own responsibility of the main points that ha ve emerged in your discussions.  Your statements 
will, of course, be in the official records of the Conference.   In terms of Decisions, the General Council has forwarded to you two texts for you to consider 
and decide upon:  the first concerns TRIPS non-vi olation and situation complaints;  and the second 
relates to Electronic Commerce.  Moreover, at the Closing Ceremony the Chairman of the Conference 
will propose that the Eighth Session should be held  at the end of 2011, in Geneva, unless there is 
another offer forthcoming from a Member.   No one should underestimate the importance of th is Ministerial Conference.  It is the biggest 
event ever organized here in the CICG.  We have around 3,000 delegates forming part of 147 Member 
delegations and 22 delegations fro m Observer Governments.  Your presence is a massive vote of 
confidence in the WTO and a testimony to the rele vance of this Organization.  However, this 
Conference has also attracted acts of vandalism, and th e demonstrations in Geneva this past week-end 
are a clear example of this.  We respect and defend the right to disagree, but in an environment marked by respect, tolerance and non-violence.  We  hope that events of this kind will not happen 
again.  On behalf of the organizers of the Sevent h Ministerial Conference, we apologize to the Geneva 
population for what occurred.  We want to build, and not to destroy. WT/MIN(09)/11 
Page 2  
 
   This Organization is one of the cornerstones of international relations.  Since its inception, it 
has provided the multilateral trading system with st ability and predictability through the rules which it 
embodies and the enforcement of those rules.  As  you all know, the WTO rests on three conceptual 
pillars, that is:  the legislative;  implementation and monitoring of the rules negotiated;  and the 
dispute settlement system. 
 
 The WTO system has proved its worth in the cris is of the past year, by monitoring measures 
taken in response to the crisis and advising against the adoption of protectionist measures.  And it will 
continue to do so in aiding the recovery from th e crisis, but it needs the active support of all its 
Members.  As has already been said, the most immedi ate way in which this can be demonstrated is by 
finalizing the Doha Round in 2010. 
  We have, over the next three days, an opportuni ty to demonstrate that multilateralism is not 
only about reaching landmark agreements.  It is also  about laying solid foundations for civilized trade 
relations among Members, and then building on t hose foundations.  That is what the WTO and this 
Conference are all about. 
  I sincerely hope that you will all have an inter esting and fruitful time w ith us here in Geneva. 
 
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