“I very much welcome the reconfirmed commitment by the Ministers of the world's four largest trading entities to the World Trade Organization. I especially appreciate the forward-looking nature of the concluding statement. Not only did it provide support for current negotiations, particularly that on telecommunications, but looked ahead to an ambitious first WTO Ministerial Meeting next year in Singapore. The statement reflected a shared view that new issues have now to be considered for inclusion in the continuing development and strengthening of the multilateral trading system”.

“As the Ministers point out, there is a vital and urgent need to broaden support for the multilateral system and trade liberalization. At the same time, I welcome the concept of a new WTO body to help ensure that regional trade initiatives contribute to, rather than detract from, efforts at the multilateral level”.

Note: The “Quadrilateral” or “Quad” meetings bring together trade ministers from the United States, Japan, Canada and the Commission of the European Union.