. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/117 
16 December 2005 
 (05-6117) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   English 
 
  
DENMARK 
 
Statement by HE Dr Per Stig Møller
 
Minister for Foreign Affairs  
   Speaking on behalf of the Kingdom of Denmar k including Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, 
I would like to thank the Authorities of Hong Kong for hosting this Conference. 
 
 In a little more than 48 hours our meeting will be over.  We must all work hard to get a 
positive result.  People and enterprises all over the worl d stand to gain – in particular in developing 
countries.  And concluding this Round would stre ngthen the multilateral trading system – strengthen 
the WTO as one of the cornerstones of the intern ational political scene, contributing to a more 
peaceful and stable world. 
 
 In short:  the Doha Development Round is a hi storic opportunity for embracing globalization, 
which is easy to do in theory, but much harder to do in practice.  This goes for both developed and 
developing countries.  Thus, this Ministerial is being conducted against a changing world landscape, 
with neo-protectionism looming – and with une qual opportunities for reaping the benefits of 
globalization. 
  The answer is not resorting to protectionism because:  protectionism impedes growth, stifles 
competition and innovation – and is simply a short-te rm unfair solution, which in the end leads to no 
positive result.  
 The answer is to grasp the new opportunities, which free and fair trade will give.  We must 
use the development package to secu re that also the least developed countries will profit from these 
new opportunities of free and fair trade.   Obviously, to many developing countries protecti onism is not even an option.  In fact, some 
of these countries barely have anything to protect.  Therefore, in order to lift the world out of poverty 
and as we strive for the Millennium Goals, we  must make sure this Round becomes a true 
development round contributing to a reduction of ineq uality among States.  We must decide already at 
this meeting on a substantial development package,  which can assist governments in developing trade 
capacity and in combating poverty and, where n ecessary, ensure the relevant compensations. 
 
 Such a package should include a decision on duty-  and quota-free market access for all least 
developed countries – as the EU has already offered in  its "Everything But Arms" initiative.  Not least 
because of this initiative, the EU is today by far the biggest importer of products from the LDCs.  We 
would like to see all developed countries too comm it themselves here in Hong Kong to a similar 
undertaking, including all products and all LDCs. 
 
 Another important element of a Hong Kong Development Package should be a commitment 
from developed countries on more and a better c oordinated trade-related technical assistance.  WT/MIN(05)/ST/117 
Page 2  
 
 Without such assistance, in particular many LDCs  might not be able to exploit better market 
opportunities and truly integrate into the global economy.   However, agreeing on such a development pack age would not be enough.  We need to see a 
clear roadmap for further negotiations on all issues, including environment and sustainable 
development in fisheries, and other sectors, which mu st be concluded next year.  We would also like 
to see further progress on the dialogue between the WTO and the ILO on workers' rights.   On agriculture, we must strike a balance between the diverse interests of all WTO Members.  The European Union has put forward a very substan tial proposal, in order to ensure a much more 
liberal world trade in agricultural products. 
  However, modern societies do not only consist of agriculture.  Industry and in particular 
services are becoming more and more important sectors in our economies.  A free world trade must therefore also deal with NAMA and services, but on NAMA and services in particular, negotiations 
have not yet progressed sufficiently.  A final agreement on the Doha Round should also lead to an 
intensified South-South trade and to trade facilitation in general. 
  The aim of this conference is not to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.  The aim is to 
secure that everybody benefits and poverty is re duced.  According to some economists, the Uruguay 
Round added around US$400 billion to world GDP.  A successful Doha Round could achieve an 
increase in global incomes of more than US$500 billion.   Here in Hong Kong, we have a possibility to 
work for a rise in common welfare and a common cause.   Let us not close this window of opportunity. 
 
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