RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(03)/INF/9
30 July 2003
(03-4066)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fifth Session
Cancún, 10 - 14 September 2003Original: Spanish
WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Communication from the Mexican Organizing Committee
Please find attached a communication that we have received from the Mexican Organizing
Committee.
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Mexico City, 25 July 2003
TO ALL DELEGATES ATTENDING THE
FIFTH WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Following the recent visit of the Mexican Organizing Committee to Geneva on 17 and 18 July
and the meeting in which it reported to delegates of WTO Member countries on the logistical progress
made thus far, we would like to make the following observations.
Dress code
Dress code is smart casual or national dress for all meetings of the Fifth WTO Ministerial
Conference (including the inaugural ceremony).
Accommodation
There were a number of comments to the effect that certain hotels lacked flexibility with
respect to contracts, guarantees and payment.
As agreed beforehand, the room reservation takes place directly between the delegations and
the hotel of their choice.  However, in view of the concern expressed by delegations, the
Accommodation and Services Coordination Office of  the Mexican Organizing Committee will ask the
hotels to respect the following guidelines:
• Contracts or agreements should be conclude d with delegations specifying the number
and type of rooms, the rate and what it covers, the hotel's policy with respect to
guarantees, cancellation and reduction in the number of rooms, and the payment
conditions.  Once these agreements or contracts have been signed, they represent a
commitment by both parties, and as long as their terms have not been violated, they
will serve as a confirmation of the rooms.
• Should hotels require a deposit, it is important that the amount should be mutually
agreed between the delegation and the hotel, and that the hotel should try to set itsdeadline for the deposit as close as possible to the actual Conference dates.
• More flexibility should be shown as regards the deadlines for cancellation or
reduction in the number of rooms without any penalty.
• Assistance should be provided to countries that do not have representations in Mexico
and do not have the facilities to provide advanced payment or guarantees of any kind,by accepting letters of commitment from their governments or their missions to the
WTO.
• The deadline for submitting the definitive list of guests should be extended on the
grounds that it is difficult to determine beforehand who will be attending this kind ofevent when the agenda has not yet been established.
• It should be borne in mind that the majority of delegates will be travelling on per
diems, so that they will be paying for their food and accommodation individually andwill be paying for their rooms upon arrival.WT/MIN(03)/INF/9
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It should be stressed that regardless of what the hotels should decide with respect to the above
points, delegates may contact the Accommodation and Services Coordination Office for assistance
and advice on any problem they encounter with respect to accommodation for the Ministerial
Conference at the following e-mail address:  hospedaje@omcmexico.org.mx .
Visas
During the above-mentioned visit, African Member countries asked the Mexican Organizing
Committee for assistance in obtaining Mexican visas for their delegations, since most of them lacked
the facilities to deal with the required formalitie s.  The Organizing Committee will intervene with the
Mexican authorities to find a solution.
Cars for observers
The Mexican Organizing Committee reverted to the question of vehicles for Heads of
Delegation from 8 to 15 September, noting that it was essential that the Committee be informed of theitinerary of ministers and vice-ministers within the established dates.
Yours sincerely,
Mónica Ruiz Huerta
General Coordinator
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