. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/144 
17 December 2005 
 (05-6151) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   Spanish 
 
  
CHILE 
 
Statement by HE Mr Ignacio Walker Prieto
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs  
   Being a relatively small economy, Chile att aches considerable importance to multilateral 
institutions.  In the case of trade, such institutions are all the more significant since almost two thirds 
of our country's gross domestic product is either dir ectly or indirectly linked to trade.  Chile could 
therefore be said to be a great advocate of rules.   As it is in our interest to have a smooth ly operating multilateral trading system, we were 
already actively promoting the Doha Development Round before it was actually launched, and we 
have been seeking to play a constructive role in  all negotiating areas.  For Chile, the WTO has an 
intrinsic value that goes beyond market liberalization. 
  Therefore, we are concerned about the current state of the negotiations.  Over the course of 
the successive GATT negotiation rounds  and in the bilateral negotiati ons in which we have been 
involved, we have learned that negotiations do not always proceed according to the prescribed 
timelines – quite the contrary – and that natural di fferences between the parties are not always easy to 
reconcile;  so there are always obstacles along the way.  These obstacles tend to resolve themselves if 
the parties show the necessary flexib ility.  In the current negotiating round, however, we do not yet 
see any signs of such flexibility.   We arrived in Hong Kong without any majo r expectations.  The high-level political 
statements that heralded a successful outcome to  the Round have not translated into concrete 
proposals at the negotiating table and before undert aking the trip, we therefore "recalibrated" our 
expectations, knowing that in Hong Kong there was not going to be any agreement on the negotiating 
modalities.  However, these modalities will have to be  agreed upon sooner or later if we want this 
Doha Development Round to succeed. 
 
 The pressure created by the short time left  before the Hong Kong meeting was undoubtedly 
instrumental in prompting the submission of new proposals.  Although these proposals may not be at all satisfactory because there is no balance between wh at is being offered and what is being requested 
in exchange, at the time they represen ted a means of breaking the deadlock. 
 
 Nevertheless, Chile thinks that we have faile d to take advantage of this opportunity.  A 
number of elements in these proposals represent signif icant advances for world trade and we need to 
find a way to consolidate them.   Although we arrived in Hong Kong with low e xpectations, we cannot afford the luxury of 
having come so far simply to reach agreement on the extent of our disagreement.  Hong Kong must 
represent a turning point in the current situation an d a change in the way in which we have been 
working so far.  In order to achieve that, it is crucial that we succeed over the next two days in WT/MIN(05)/ST/144 
Page 2  
 
 agreeing at least on a work plan that gives our nego tiators clear instructions as to the objectives they 
should be pursuing in the first few months of 2006.  If we fail to do so now, we shall lose precious 
time trying to agree on how to carry the process forwar d, instead of putting our efforts into an attempt 
to resolve our differences.  
 A work plan containing detailed objectives and timelines can serve as an incentive to submit 
new proposals and thus generate the momentum need ed to conclude the Round by the end of next 
year.  On the other hand, none of this will ser ve any purpose if the Members fail to show the 
necessary political will.  
 For many countries, the outcome of this R ound will undoubtedly entail costs at the domestic 
level.  And the more ambitious the outcome, the higher the costs.  However, if we want the results of 
this Round to have an impact on the global economy – in other words, if we do not want this Round to 
remain entirely devoid of substance, to the extent  that no Member will have undertaken any real 
commitment – we all need to be ready to pay our way. 
 
 For there is no such thing as a free ride.  It w ill not be a free ride for the developing countries 
and certainly cannot be a free ride for the developed countries.   Chile is willing to play its part in this Round.   We shall continue to work actively in Hong 
Kong, in Geneva and wherever else may be necessary.   Not only because we can secure gains such as 
the elimination of agricultural export subsidies or  improvements in the Anti-Dumping Agreement, but 
also because we need a World Trade Organizati on that enjoys both leg itimacy and credibility. 
 
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