. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/L/703 
21 November 2007 
 (07-5121) 
 Original:   English 
 
 
 
STATEMENT 
G-33 MINISTERIAL/SENIOR OFFICIALS COORDINATION MEETING 
Geneva, 15 November 2007 
 
Communication from Indonesia  
 
  The following communication, dated 16 N ovember 2007, has been received from the 
Delegation of Indonesia with the request that it be circulated to all Members.  
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  Ministers and Senior Officials of the G-33 me t in Geneva on 15 November 2007 to evaluate 
the current state of play of the agriculture negotia tions and to coordinate the Group's work in moving 
forward the negotiations.  The Coordination Meet ing re-emphasized the cohesiveness, unity and 
solidarity of the G-33 in engaging the next stages  of the negotiation, with a view to securing a 
successful pro-development Doha outcome.   During the deliberations, the Coordination Meeting adopted a G-33 Ministerial/Senior 
Officials Statement.  The Statement, among othe rs, underscores that modalities on SPs and SSM must 
be coherent, holistic and integrated and must me et the sensitivities of individual members of the 
Group and all developing countries, regardless of  their size.  Moreover, the G-33 signals its 
willingness to contribute further provided new and significant movements are made by other trading partners in the crucial areas of the agri culture negotiations, including on SPs & SSM. 
  I would like to take this opport unity, on behalf of the Group, to convey herewith a copy of the 
aforementioned Statement.  It is the G-33's ferven t hope that the Statement could be considered as a 
positive political message and encouragemen t to moving the negotiation forward. 
 
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 WT/L/703 
Page 2  
 
  Statement 
G-33 Ministerial/Senior Officials Coordination Meeting  
Geneva, 15 November 2007 
 
1. G-33 Ministers and Senior Officials met in Ge neva on 15 November 2007.  They reaffirmed 
the Jakarta Communiqué and emphasized the unity and solidarity of the Group towards securing a 
successful pro-development Doha outcome, which must  incorporate the core development instruments 
of Special Products (SPs) and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM). 
2. Modalities on SPs and SSM must be coherent, ho listic and integrated and must meet the 
sensitivities of individual members of the Group so as to ensure a satisfactory solution for all its 
members.  The G-33 emphasized that modalities on SPs and SSM must determine the level of 
development ambition of the agriculture outcome.  To that end the Group stressed that the modalities 
on SPs and SSM must be in full coherence with th e development mandates of the Doha Declaration, 
July Framework as well as the Hong Kong Declaration.  
3. The G-33 appreciates the recognition that there is  a specific need for zero cut treatment for a 
substantial number of SPs in or der to adequately address the pr oblems of food security, livelihood 
security and rural development, regardless of the si ze of the developing countries.  The Group recalls 
the mandate for a more flexible and favourable treatment of SPs vis-à-vis  Sensitive Products for 
developing country members, and reiterates that it will not accept a treatment for SPs that is less 
favourable than that for the Sensitive Products.  
4. The G-33 welcomes and supports the favourable flexibilities extended to the SVEs and RAMs 
in view of their vulnerabilities and urgent needs as pa rt of an integrated, coherent and holistic solution 
for SPs.  The Group underscores that there is a sp ecific mandate for addressing the concerns of the 
SVEs and RAMs and a separate specific mandate for the designation of SPs by all developing 
countries.  
5. The G-33 recalls the clear mandate for the SSM  and emphasizes that continuing distortions 
including those caused by subsidies require de veloping countries to safeguard their essential 
development concerns.  An effective, simple and easy  to operate SSM is crucial to guard against any 
market instability resulting from import surges or pric e depressions.  The SSM must be available for 
all developing countries and LDCs, as long as ther e is abnormality in the world trading system.  
Therefore the mechanism must be neither more cumb ersome nor stringent than the existing SSG be it 
in terms of product coverage , triggers or remedies. 
6. Ministers and Senior Officials also appreciat e the efforts and work  undertaken by the 
agriculture negotiating Chair.  The G-33 has been constructive and has consistently sought balanced 
solutions throughout the agriculture negotiations.  The Group reiterates it s commitments to be 
intensively and constructively engaged in the ne gotiations and to deliver operationally effective 
modalities of SPs and SSM for all developing countri es.  The G-33 further reaffirms its commitment 
to working with other developing  country alliances and all WTO members to secure a more balanced 
outcome that addresses the development dimensions  of the Doha Development Agenda as well as the 
genuine concerns of small, poor an d vulnerable farmers worldwide. 
7. The G-33 views that a successful completion of the Doha Development negotiation is 
attainable and calls upon all members in partic ular the major developed members to show the 
necessary flexibilities required for agreement.  The G-33 on its part signals its willingness to 
contribute further provided new and significant moveme nts are made by others in the crucial areas of 
the agriculture negotiations, including on SPs and SSM. 
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