WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(01)/ST/44
10 November 2001
(01-5625)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fourth Session
Doha, 9 - 13 November 2001Original:  English
CZECH REPUBLIC
Statement by H.E. Mr Miroslav Somol
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade
First I wish to join the preceeding speakers and thank the Government and the people of Qatar
for their hospitality and the excellent arrangements  ensuring the necessary conditions for holding this
important Ministerial Conference.
The Conference is taking place at the important crossroads of international relations.  The
world economic environment has become increasingly integrated.  Globalization is a reality and the
challenge we face "is to find not only a political dimension to globalization but also its human and
moral dimension", as the Czech President Vaclav Havel has stressed in his public call for a new roundof WTO trade negotiations.
We have gathered in Doha to get globalization right and ensure better integration of
developing countries, and in particular least-developed ones among them, into the world economy.
Despite unprecedented opportunities offered by new market openings, so many developing countries
have not been able to reap full benefits of free and rules-based trade.  This must be changed and we
are here to bring about improvements to the trading system that are required to put all countries on thepath of development and for better distribution of fruits of globalization.
The growing relevance of the multilateral tradin g system is being enhanced by the accession
of two important Members, i.e. China and Chinese Taipei.  The Czech Republic would like to seize
this opportunity to welcome these two trading partne rs into the WTO family and is looking forward to
working closely with them as with full Members.  At the same time, we are confident that other
countries seeking accession will follow soon.
A renewed urgency of this Conference has been sensed by 11 September.  On that date, it was
not only the United States that had been attacked by unprecedented act of terrorism and violence, butalso the world of the trade and its values.  The recent tragic events remind us of the importance of
trade, which goes far beyond mere economic dealings.  More than ever, trade is also about peace,
freedom and settlement of problems.  By giving a new impetus to multilateralism, we create the
conditions for greater political stability worldwide.
The importance of making this meeting a success has also to be seen in the context of the
present global economic situation.  Most of the major trading partners are at the edge of the prospect
of a slowdown.  Under these circumstances, we have to send a sufficiently convincing message to
businesses, which will testify to our determination to boost the world economy through a series of
ambitious trade negotiations aimed at further opening of markets and strengthening and developing
the rules and disciplines of the WTO.WT/MIN(01)/ST/44
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Concerns of various sectors of civil society re garding proper functioning of the trading system
represent yet another challenge we have to face.  Increased responsiveness of the WTO to these
concerns is necessary to gain public support for new agenda.  It is our responsibility to explain to
respective constituencies the benefits of open trade, costs of protectionism and contribution of the
WTO to growth, job creation and freedom of choice.  By concrete actions in Doha we can put beyondall misconceptions that the WTO is a club of rich nations.
The best way to address all the challenges and opportunities I just referred to and others in a
bold and credible manner is a comprehensive and time-bound Round of trade negotiations of a single
undertaking type, the launch of which belongs to the Czech Republic's highest priorities.  A Round is
necessary to embrace various concerns, to preserve the WTO relevance to the rapidly changing
economic environment, to allow for necessary trade-offs among various sectors and issues and toensure greater coherence in managing interdependence and global policy-making.  It is also needed to
deal with those implementation problems that require changes in the existing legal texts and thus an
appropriate negotiating forum.
The groundwork for a successful launch of a Round has been done by our Geneva-based
Ambassadors under the leadership of the Chairman of the General Council Mr. Stuart Harbinson who
has been cooperating with the Director-General Mr Mike Moore.  Although some issues remain to be
settled in a revised draft Ministerial Declaration we have reached a stage where we can achieve a
generally acceptable approach towards a new Round.  As President Havel has said, "we all need a
Round in which every participant gains someth ing for himself and at the same time shows
understanding for the interest and concerns of others."
The text in front of us has the aspiration to be up to the requirements for such a balanced
approach.  There are some divergencies of views on a number of topics.  No doubt each of us has its
own agenda, its own priorities, interests and concer ns.  At the same time, however, we all have to
cope with common problems that require common solutions.  Therefore, we should be able to move
from our individual list to a commonly shared list.  A nd it is in this positive spirit in which I would
like to comment briefly on a few issues which, according to our view, require further substantive
work in the days ahead of us.
In the area of agriculture, we believe that the text has to be tuned to strike a better balance
between trade and non-trade concerns.  In this respect, let me just mention the role of farming intaking care of environment in terms of conservation of biological diversity, maintenance of
landscapes and prevention of natural resources.  We are also concerned at the way in which the
objectives of further reductions in support and protection have been reflected.
Our disappointment has been particularly acute with the level of ambition that has so far been
achieved in the areas of investment and competition.
Similarly, we must express our deep concer n over the lack of progress on an upfront
commitment to carry out negotiations to clarify the interface between trade and environment.  In the
pursuit of this goal, we are ready to provide all necessary guarantees to ensure that the environment inthe WTO does not stand in the way of development.
Concurrently, the text dealing with labour standa rds falls also short of our expectations and
should, therefore, be changed to promote the objectives of deepening international dialogue on social
dimension of globalization and to positively assess what has been done in the ILO.
In the field of Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, I wish to restate that we
in the Czech Republic are not insensitive to sentiments of serious concerns of developing countries
regarding their rights to pursue legitimate goals to protect public health.  As to the issue related to theWT/MIN(01)/ST/44
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extension of the protection of geographical indications to products other than wines and spirits, I have
to repeat that for us the only way to proceed is the negotiating option with a clear time-frame.
Turning now to implementation issues, I should like to reaffirm the importance my country is
attaching to problems encountered by developing c ountries in efforts to comply with their Uruguay
Round commitments and participate more fu lly in the multilateral trading system.
On our part, the Czech Republic has continued to provide improved access for imports
coming from developing countries.  Products from all least-developed countries enjoy duty and quota
free access.  I am pleased to announce that the Czech authorities have recently decided to promote the
least-developed countries' integration into the trading system also through financial assistance to
enable representatives of these countries to take part in ministerial deliberations.
To conclude, let me refer again to the reflection of President Havel according to whom we
live in a remarkable age when even responsibility of representatives of sovereign States is being
globalized.  Mr Havel has called to "grasp this joint responsibility for a better future for coming
generations and to contribute, throughout a new Round of trade talks, to the search for globalsolutions to the global problems of today's world."
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