. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(09)/ST/62 
1 December 2009 
 (09-6129) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Seventh Session Geneva, 30 November - 2 December 2009 Original:   English 
 
  
LIECHTENSTEIN 
 
Statement by HE Dr Aurelia Frick
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs  
   I wish to start by thanking the Swiss Govern ment and the organizers of this Conference for 
their hard work and their hospitality. 
 
 My thanks also go to you Mr Chairman, to th e Director-General of the WTO and his staff, 
and to the Chairperson of the General Council.   Liechtenstein attaches high importance to th e role of the WTO in shaping and further 
developing a rules-based and pred ictable multilateral trading system. 
 
 Legal certainty and open markets are important for all trading nations, for global prosperity 
and growth.  They are vital for a very small a nd highly export-oriented economy like Liechtenstein. 
  The structure of its economy makes Liechtenste in vulnerable to global economic turmoil and 
the protectionist reflex. 
  My country therefore fully supports the appeal of  the Director-General not to give in to the 
temptation of protectionism in the face of the global economic recession.   One of the best shields against protectionist  tendencies will be the successful conclusion of 
the ongoing Doha negotiations. 
  Liechtenstein remains fully committed to reachi ng an ambitious and balanced outcome to the 
Doha Development Round.  
 The result has to be based on sufficient pr ogress in all areas of the single undertaking. 
  A successful and rapid conclusion in all ar eas of the Doha Round negotiations has the 
potential of bolstering the prospects for enhanced multilateral cooperation on other issues of global 
concern. 
 
 The WTO has to live up to major challenges, such as climate change. 
  Trade policy has a role to play in mitiga ting and adapting to global climate change. 
  This is not least by increasing incentives to us e the most energy efficient environmental goods 
and services. 
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   The WTO has also proven its usefulness th rough its policy monitoring and surveillance. 
  An effective tool in this respect is the dispute settlement mechanism. 
  Another tool, the Trade Policy Review Mechanism, provides a welcome platform for 
constructive debate among governments over their mu tual efforts to keep markets open and trade 
relations predictable.   It also contributes to a broader and better understanding of the national circumstances in 
which trade policy is deve loped and implemented. 
 
 The Trade Policy Review Mechanism thus he lps shape a multilateral trading system as it 
gives due consideration to the specifi cities of the participating States. 
  This is in the interest of all countries, but in  particular of small and of developing countries. 
 
 Such a multilateral trading system should also be  able to take into account the particular role 
of agriculture.   There has been a growing awareness among the WT O Membership that agriculture is the key 
in the context of the debate about food security. 
 
 This confirms our approach regarding non-t rade concerns when it comes to agriculture. 
  Yesterday the G-10 Ministers adopted a Communiqué that sets out this approach.  
 The issue of global governance has attracted mu ch attention since the outbreak of the world 
financial and economic crises.   While we acknowledge the need for swift action to address the imminent impacts of the crises, we are also convinced that only an inclusive response can be an effective one. 
 
 Inclusiveness has to be a central  element for global governance. 
  We wish to stress the importance for the WTO of an encompassing Membership in order to 
enable it to effectively play its role as the global trade body.  
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