. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/56 
16 December 2011  
 
(11-6613) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original: English 
 
  
LATVIA 
 
Statement by H.E. Mr Edgars Rinkevics 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
  
I would like to start with expressing our  appreciation to the Director-General, 
Mr Pascal Lamy, and to the Chairman of the Ge neral Council Ambassador Agah for their enormous 
efforts and hard work to prepare this conference.  Let me also thank the Government of the Swiss 
Confederation for excellent hospitality.  
We are here today to discuss matters of great importance for the future of the WTO.  The 
results of the Doha Negotiations Round should  reflect the readiness of Members to commit 
themselves to an even higher level of openness and further removal of restrictions to trade.  
Unfortunately, little progress has been made rega rding the Doha Development Agenda since the 
previous Ministerial Conference in 2009.  It is clear that we need to revisit our thinking to be able to see the true gains of completing the Doha Mandate.  Consequently, we need to readjust our work to 
search new approaches to close the negotiations in line with the initially established Mandate.  
Possibilities to reach agreements on specific, less cont roversial issues can be used and should be used.  
Members' engagement is vital concerning the matters significant to the least developed countries.  We 
are pleased to see that there will be certain acco mplishment at this Conference in this regard. 
 
On behalf of Latvia, I would like to congratu late our neighbour, the Russian Federation with 
the conclusion of accession negotiations.  I belie ve that Russia's accession will lay solid legal 
foundation and will create profitable conditions to further impr ove and widen the framework for the 
economic cooperation between our countries.  For the same reason I would also like to congratulate 
Montenegro, Samoa and Vanuatu upon joining the WTO.  It is clear that if we want the invaluable 
results of the multilateral trading system to be global, accession of new Members is crucial.  We 
encourage the countries that are still in this process to carry on with reforms and negotiations in order 
to join the WTO as soon as possible. 
 
It is crucial not only to move forward with negot iations.  We must also ensure that previous 
agreements are respected and abided  by.  Therefore, I would like to use this opportunity to thank the 
Director-General and his team for monitoring pr otectionist measures.  We welcome the WTO hard 
work on protectionism, especially for reminding us  of the consequences if we give in to it. 
 
Latvia is a good example that proves that growth and economic development can only be 
reached through international coopera tion and trade liberalization.  Recently Latvia was hit hard by 
the financial and economic crisis.  Nevertheless, Latvia did not tu rn to protectionist measures.  
Instead, fiscal and financial stabilization measure s were undertaken.  These measures had their 
positive effect on the economy, returning it to the path  of growth.  Both export and import of Latvia 
have increased compared to the previous years and Foreign Direct Investment inflows are improving WT/MIN(11)/ST/56 
Page 2  
 
  as well.  Our experience has once more proved the pos itive effect that open economy and international 
trade has on economic recovery.  
We will be able to promote development that can increase the lives of millions of people 
around the globe only through cooperation.  Therefore we should not stop at difficulties.  Difficulties 
should motivate us to search for new ways to br idge our differences and accomplish meaningful 
results.  
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