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Lamy抯 speeches
1. We call for a concerted effort to conclude the negotiations of
the WTO's Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and to fulfill the development
objective of the Round. This is a historic opportunity to generate economic
growth, create potential for development and raise living standards across
the world. We urge all parties to work with utmost urgency for conclusion of
the Round by the end of 2006, to strengthen the multilateral trading system
and provide an important boost for the world's economy. The Round should
deliver real cuts in tariffs, effective cuts in subsidies and real new trade
flows.
2. We regret that the negotiations in Geneva on 29 June-1 July did not close
all the gaps between the WTO Members. We welcome the decision to ask the WTO
Director General to consult Members intensively in order to promote early
agreement and call upon him to report to the WTO Membership as soon as
possible with the aim of facilitating agreement on negotiating modalities on
agriculture and industrial tariffs within a month. We call upon all
countries to commit to the concerted leadership and action needed to reach a
successful conclusion of the Doha round.
3. We renew our commitment to pursue a high level of ambition in all areas
of the DDA with a view to reaching a meaningful and balanced outcome. We
commit ourselves to substantial improvement in market access for trade in
both agricultural and industrial products and to expanding opportunities for
trade in services. We look to other WTO Members to contribute to this
objective, commensurate with their level of development. In agriculture, we
are equally committed to substantially reducing trade-distorting domestic
support and to the parallel elimination by the end of 2013 of all forms of
export subsidies, as well as the establishment of effective disciplines on
all export measures with equivalent effect, as agreed in Hong Kong. We
emphasize the importance of improving trade rules and of measures to
facilitate trade.
4. We are fully committed to the development dimension of Doha and the need
to improve the participation of developing countries, including through
south-south trade and enhanced regional integration. Trade and market
opening can be a vital engine for development. An agreed development package
should help achieve a successful outcome to the Doha round.
5. The poorest developing countries face particular problems in integrating
into the international trading system. We will continue to ensure that this
is reflected in appropriate flexibility in the DDA negotiations. We welcome
the Decision at the Hong Kong Ministerial that developed countries, and
developing countries that are in a position to do so, should provide
duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for at least 97%
of products originating from all LDCs by 2008, or no later than the start of
the implementation period of the DDA; and also ensure that preferential
rules of origin are transparent and simple, facilitating market access.
6. We acknowledge the importance of Aid for Trade as essential in helping
many developing economies to benefit from trade. We expect spending on Aid
for Trade to increase to $4 billion, including through enhancing the
Integrated Framework. It is a necessary complement to a successful outcome
of the Doha Round. We reaffirm our commitment to Aid for Trade and Trade
Capacity Building. We will promote trade-related technical assistance
through training and education. We recognize the important contribution that
multilateral development institutions can make in this field, and encourage
them to give this priority. We stress also the vital role of private sector
participation in identifying and responding to trade-related needs. We
welcome the progress made in the Task Force to strengthen the Integrated
Framework for Trade Related Technical Assistance to LDCs and will support
its implementation through bilateral and multilateral efforts. We recognize
the challenges that may be faced by trade preference beneficiaries from
preference erosion.
7. We welcome the progress in the WTO accession negotiations of the Russian
Federation. We support Russia's expeditious accession to the WTO in
accordance with the rules that apply to all of its members.