WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/ST/12 
14 December 2005 
 (05-5981) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original: English 
 
  
GERMANY 
 
Statement by HE Dr Bernd Pfaffenbach
  
State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology  
  
 Let me first thank our hosts - Minister Tsang
 and the  Conference organizers - for their hard 
work.  We know how important it is for the Conference to run smoothly. 
 
 And progress can be made on substance only if the proper organizational framework is 
available.   My impression is that the close cooperation undertaken between our hosts and Director-General Lamy to prepare for the Conference is now bearing good fruit. 
 
 In this same connection, I welcome the early naming of the facilitators for the key negotiating 
areas.   All of the WTO partners are thus actively show ing their interest in shaping the conditions for 
a successful Conference. 
  I want to define our expectations for the mee ting here in Hong Kong in terms of a successful 
conclusion of negotiations:   Germany continues to count on a successful ending of the current Round of world trade talks. 
 
 We hold fast to the Doha Development Agenda and want to wrap up the substantive core of 
negotiations by the end of next year.   What does this mean for  the Conference and its objectives? 
 
1.  A mere monitoring of the current status will not be enough in the central questions of market 
access for farm products, in industrial tariffs, and in services. 
 
 We know that agriculture is the key to success. 
  Germany has worked hard to ensure that the EU submits a substantive offer in the farm 
sector. 
 
 The intensive discussion of our offer within  the European Union shows that the EU's 
threshold of pain has been reached.  And we hope that  this is acknowledged by our partners. WT/MIN(05)/ST/12 
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  However: 
  The Doha Development Agenda cannot  be reduced only to agriculture. 
 
 Without an equivalent and parallel opening of markets for industrial goods and services, 
progress will not be possible on the farm sector. 
 
 We are confident of progress in Hong Kong on NAMA and services. 
 
 Success here will  have a positive impact on agricultural negotiations. 
 
 I am convinced that a clear signal must be  sent from Hong Kong, namely, that the WTO 
partners are willing to cut the Gordian Knot  in these central issues of market access. 
 
2.  Germany is prepared to help put togeth er a "development package" here in Hong Kong. 
  We take seriously the undiluted develo pment mandate in the Doha Declaration. 
  And we therefore support the goal of reachi ng an agreement that takes account of this 
mandate, above all to the benefit of the least developed countries. 
  But it is important to remember that the Round's most important contribution toward 
development can be achieved through progress on market access topics.  3.  Germany deems it important for this Conferen ce to offer a clear outlook for concluding the 
overall negotiations. 
 
 We therefore advocate agreement on a strict and coherent timetable for 2006. 
  But we should not entertain the illusion that an  overall conclusion can be achieved simply by 
setting a schedule.   A follow-up meeting in the first months of 2006 will help achieve progress only if we get the 
negotiations moving again in Hong Kong. 
 
 We all have to be aware of the high stakes he re in Hong Kong and in the months ahead.  We 
have a great deal to win, but we also have much to lose. 
 
 We have the opportunity to successfully implem ent the Doha Development Agenda and thus 
contribute to growth and employment in both industrial and developing countries. 
 
 But the future of the rules-based mu ltilateral trading system is at stake. 
 
 World commerce requires a strong multilateral framework.  And only the WTO can establish 
the conditions to guarantee all countries an  equal voice, independent of size, political influence, or 
economic power. 
 
 The multilateral system continues to be attractive, as is shown by the accession of 
Saudi Arabia and Tonga! 
 
 We must treat the system with care, and not endanger it by risky or rash action.  WT/MIN(05)/ST/12 
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  In this spirit, Germany is eager to contribute to the successful conclusion of the 
Doha Development Agenda.   And our Conference can lay the groundwork for achieving this objective.  
 We must display the courage needed to set the right impulses here and now. 
 
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