WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(98)/ST/19
18May1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1994)
Original: Spanish MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18and20May1998
BOLIVIA
Statement Circulated byD.Jorge Crespo Velasco,
Minister ofForeign Trade andInvestment
Onbehalf oftheGovernment ofBolivia andmydelegation, Iwould liketoexpress mygratitude
andcongratulate theSecretariat oftheWorld Trade Organization fortheexcellent coordination ofthe
Second Session oftheMinisterial Conference. Itgives theBolivian delegation great pleasure tobe
abletomeetwiththeotherMinisters andrepresentatives present hereatthisjuncture inthestrengthening
ofinternational trade relations.
Incommemorating the50thAnniversary oftheMultilateral Trading System, which hasmade
itpossible toachieve considerable progress inbuilding anincreasingly prosperous andliberalized world
economy, wewould liketohighlight theadvantages oftheopentrading system advocated bytheWTO
inachieving world economic development andmaking itpossible toovercome theinequalities and
imbalances inlevels ofdevelopment. Weareexperiencing asteady growth ininternational tradewhich,
asoneofthedriving forces behind economic andsocial growth, opens upopportunities thatweshould
notignore.
TheBolivian economy wasoneofthefirstinSouth America tointroduce aneconomic policy
ofunilateral liberalization andtolaunch astructural change process based onthefreemarket model.
Inotherwords, itintroduced areform process inkeeping withthepolicies setforthintheGlobal Agenda.
Theresults achieved inthisconnection andthenewopportunities thatthese measures haveopened
uppermit Bolivia tolooktothefuture withoptimism.
Themultilateral trading system isproviding aframework forincreasingly liberalized trade,
givingmycountrygrowingaccesstotheadvantagesoftheeconomicmodelithasintroducedandenabling
ittomake more efficient useofitshuman andnatural resources.
Bolivia hasalsodeveloped anactive policy ofeconomic integration inkeeping withits
geographical location, encouraging integration inthefields ofenergy andtrade aswellasphysical
integration withaviewtoconsolidating anintegrated economic space. Bolivia advocates aform of
integrationaimedessentiallyatcreatingtradeflowsanddoesnotseektodiscriminateagainstthird-country
producers; indeed, itsupports theWTO disciplines andcommitments andclearly adheres totheconcept
ofopenintegration.
Wetakepartinregional integration agreements intheconviction thatbydoing so,weare
contributing tomultilateral tradeliberalization efforts. Regional integration along Latin American lines
offers trade opportunities thatinLatin America haveledtoanincrease inincome andemployment,
andhence togreater prosperity among itspeoples.
./.WT/MIN(98)/ST/19
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Inspiteofourefforts atopening upourtrade, ourexports havebeenaffected bytradepractices
thatareunfair, lacking intransparency, andthatpenalize competitive domestic products. Weconsider
these actions tobecontrary togood trade practice. Thebarriers generally involve theimposition of
abusive technical standards onminerals, agricultural goods andtextiles. Wefirmly reject theapplication
of"invisible" trade barriers, particularly since theinternational community hascreated appropriate
andtransparent mechanisms foreliminating "tariff" and"para-tariff" barriers.
Weattach particular importance totheeffective liberalization ofagricultural andtextile markets.
Wereaffirm ourdemand thatthecommitments assumed inthose sectors beimplemented, andweplace
great hopes intheresults offuture negotiations, offering ourfullsupport forthework being carried
outjointly withUNCTAD intheareas ofinvestment andcompetition.
Asregards thefuture multilateral trade agenda, wefullysupport themaintenance andsearch
forappropriate mechanisms toensure thefullintegration ofthedeveloping countries ininternational
tradeflows. TheWTO cancontribute considerably totheprevention ofmarginalization, andbydoing
soitwould alsoaddtothecredibility oftheinternational trading system byensuring theactive
participation ofallofitsMembers.
TheWTO andother international organizations mustredouble andcoordinate theirtechnical
andfinancial assistance efforts onbehalf ofthedeveloping countries. Andindeed, Bolivia deplores
thedecline thathasbeentaking place ininternational cooperation atatimewhen national efforts need
tobesupported.
Irepeat thatwewillspare noeffort inseeking asuccessful conclusion toourdiscussions and
ingiving concrete form totheagreements reached, andIwould liketothank theDirector-General
oftheWTO forhisfullsupport forthisConference aswellastheChairman fortheskilful wayin
which heconducted ourwork.
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