WORLD TRADE WT/MIN(96)/ST/4
9December 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-5171)
Original: Spanish MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Singapore, 9-13December 1996
ARGENTINA
Statement byH.E. Mr.G.J.Campbell
Minister ofInternational Economic Relations
Thank youtoSingapore. Thank youforyourwelcome andforthewarm hospitality shown
inorganizing thefirstMinisterial Conference oftheWTO. Thank youalsotoyourself, Mr.Chairman,
foryourcommitment inthisregard.
Mr.Chairman,
TheWTO hasgotunder waywithasatisfactory implementation oftheUruguay Round
Agreements. Thisisproof oftheincreasing commitment ofitsMembers tothemultilateral trading
system, acommitment thatmustbeupheld andreinforced. Thisisthebestwayofcountering thecalls
stillbeing made forunilateral anddiscriminatory policies.
Theindependent policies pursued byArgentina haveresulted inamore efficient economy,
andcontributed towards themultilateral process andthegrowth ofglobal trade. Forexample, between
1990 and1995, Argentina 'simports rosefrom US$4 billion toUS$22 billion. Thisamounts toan
increase of450percent.
Thisopening upledustohope forthesame treatment forourexports, butregrettably this
hasnotyetbeenthecase.
Agriculture isavitalsector ofArgentina 'seconomy, butonlymodest progress hasbeenmade
onmarket access andthere hasbeenlittlepolitical willtoabolish production andtrade subsidies.
Owing tothislackofwill,wearenowseeing strong pressure being exerted toengage once
again inaruinous competition ofsubsidized exports inthecereals sector, which could onceagain upset
thebalance ofglobal markets andhamper thepossibilities forgrowth infoodproduction, which is
essential inorder tomeetunprecedented worldwide demand.
Weefficient producers havebeen, arestill,andeverything indicates willagain be,thefirst
tofeeltheeffects ofthese policies.
Buttheharm donetodeveloping countries thatarenetfoodimporters willnotbeanyless.
Under suchcircumstances, itisdifficult forthese countries tofeelanyincentive todevelop
theirownagricultural production ortoadapt theireconomies inorder tohavetheresources toimport
food.
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Hence ourconcern atthiskindof"apartheid" inthetreatment oftheagricultural sector inthe
WTO andatthehalf-hearted wayinwhich thenegotiations onagricultural export credit areprogressing,
blocked byafewcountries wishing totakeadvantage oftheabsence ofdisciplines inthisareainorder
tocontinue subsidizing theirtrade.
Wewishtostateclearly hereandnowthatouracceptance ofandcompliance withtheresults
oftheUruguay Round donotmean thatwearesatisfied withtheprogress made.
Ourobjective continues tobeanagricultural sector thatisfullyintegrated under therules of
themultilateral trading system. ForArgentina, noprogress made inthissector willsuffice untilthat
situation hasbeenreached.
Mr.Chairman,
Thenewinternational economic situation hasbrought usamore interdependent world which,
supported byknow-how andtechnology, limits national decision-making capacities.
Itisthusessential thatweshould devote ourefforts tostudying thelinks between trade and
other issues suchastheenvironment, investment, competition policies andgovernment procurement,
aswellastothedebate onlabour standards.
Weshallmore andmore betalking about disciplines andlessabout customs tariffs.
Integration processes areapositive response tothisneweconomic situation. Provided that
theyareconsistent withWTO disciplines, theyconstitute asignificant contribution toagreater degree
oftrade liberalization.
Onetelling example ofthisisthatbetween 1991 and1995 MERCOSUR 'simports from the
restoftheworld increased by120percent. Mr.Chairman, thisprovides onepractical example of
anopenintegration system.
MERCOSUR 'seffectiveness asamechanism topromote trade andgrowth isobvious. Over
andabove theevidence ofthefigures, ithasbeenoneofthemajor political enterprises undertaken
intheAmericas. TheAgreement 'seffectiveness, aswellasitseconomic andpolitical importance,
arethusindisputable.
Mr.Chairman,
Inorder toexpand andstrengthen theWTO, itisnecessary tobring inassoonaspossible
thecountries thatarenegotiating accession. Indoing so,wemustensure thatallMembers, whether
present orfuture, understand thattheviability ofthemultilateral system depends onevery country
respecting itsdisciplines andmaking afaircontribution tothecommon stock ofconcessions ongoods
andservices.
ForArgentina, strengthening theWTO isnotsimply another option: itisakeyelement of
Argentina'sinternationaleconomicrelations.Wemustthereforereaffirmourcommitmenttothesystem.
Thank you.