. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/64 
15 December 2005 
 (05-6024) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   Spanish 
 
  
EL SALVADOR 
 
Statement by HE Mr Francisco Lima Mena
 
Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the WTO  
   On behalf of the Republic of El Salvador a nd the Minister of the Economy, Yolanda Mayora 
de Gavidia, I wish to thank the authorities and pe ople of Hong Kong, China for their warm hospitality 
as hosts for this Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference.   I also extend our sincere gratitude to the 
Secretariat of the Organization, in the person of its Director-General, Mr Pascal Lamy, and to the Chairperson of the General Council,  Ambassador Amina Mohamed, for their determined efforts in 
preparing for this meeting.   El Salvador comes to this Ministerial Confer ence with the conviction that a robust multilateral 
trading system, sanctioned by its Members, on the basis of a proper balance between commitments 
and benefits, is a vital necessity.   We know that achieving this is no easy task , especially when we consider the size and 
diversity of the Members;  however, as part of the international community, we are aware that we 
cannot afford to fail in our efforts to promote the sustained development of peoples by legitimate 
means such as trade.   The current negotiating Round endorses that de velopment objective, this being the reason 
why, when the negotiating mandates were devised in Doha, the intention was that their results should 
lead to an increase in trade in relation to deve lopment needs;  hence the emphasis placed on improved 
market access, balanced rules and technical assistance and capacity-building programmes with 
clearly-defined objectives and sustainable financing.    El Salvador is a country with a strong agri cultural tradition, and we therefore attach the 
highest importance to the agriculture negotiations in the present Doha Development Round, in which 
we continue to promote our interest in the achieve ment of fairer trade through the elimination of 
export subsidies and substantial re ductions and disciplines in respect of domestic supports.  While it is 
true, as regards tariff cuts, that El Salvador  wishes the new commitments to become export 
opportunities, we also hope that the results ach ieved in the negotiations provide the necessary 
flexibilities for our productive sectors to adjust to the new trade cha llenges implicit in globalization.  
If these conditions are not created, improved access cannot be translated into the development benefits 
expected.   Accordingly, El Salvador, as a Member of th e G-33, constructively promotes the elements of 
special and differential treatment as an integral part of the agriculture negotiations, emphasizing the 
importance of adequate treatment for special pr oducts, as a fundamental means of ensuring rural 
development, food security and the security of people's livelihoods. 
 WT/MIN(05)/ST/64 
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  In the area of industrial access, El Salva dor reiterates what was agreed in the Doha 
Development Agenda to the effect that account shoul d be taken of the special needs and interests of 
participating developing countries, including by me ans of reduction commitments involving less than 
full reciprocity.    
 In the process leading to the liberalization of services, El Salvador considers it important that 
we do not lose sight of the objective of the current  negotiations, as set forth in the Doha Mandate, 
namely to promote the economic growth of all trad ing partners and the deve lopment of developing 
countries.    
 We consider it important that services be liberalized gradually and in accordance with our 
capabilities;  to that end, respect for Members' right to regulate the supply of services and establish 
new regulations is a fundamental aspect to be ta ken into account for the achievement of national 
development policy objectives, which are also shared with the multilateral trading system. 
 
 As a horizontal element and one of cardi nal importance for the Development Round 
negotiations, El Salvador lays stress on the need to achieve concrete and effective results in the small 
and vulnerable economies work programme, throug h which we hope to be able to open up new 
opportunities leading to development, by integrat ing small, vulnerable economies, like that of 
El Salvador, into world trade.  
 As we stated at the outset, the multilateral tradi ng system must be robust, and this leads us to 
place emphasis also on the normative aspects and th e importance of a dispute settlement mechanism 
which guarantees our rights within the system on the basis of respect for trade rules. 
  In that connection, we consider that this Mi nisterial Conference is a good opportunity to stress 
the importance of the Advisory Centre on WTO Law, not only in relation to the dispute settlement 
mechanism, but also as a permanent source of legal advice.   I wish also to take this opportunity to congratulate the new Members that have joined the Organization since the Fifth Ministerial Conference.    
 Finally, El Salvador regards this meeting as an invaluable benchmark for achieving the 
objectives we set for ourselves in the Doha Round.   The goal of concluding the negotiations is 
drawing nearer, making the challenge even greater, but  it is the responsibility of all Members to find 
ways of fulfilling this ambitious development objective.  
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