The WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong decisive for the future of negotiation system
Press release 386/2005
14.12.2005
The Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, is of vital importance for the future of the multi-stakeholder negotiation system, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mari Kiviniemi estimated in Hong Kong on Tuesday, 13 December.
Kiviniemi, who chairs the Finnish delegation, feels that, now that the conference has gotten under way, there is some real effort in the air to achieve sufficient results to keep the negotiation process going also in the future. Particularly the development issues are given great importance in Hong Kong. However, the conference is still in its early stages, and only about a hundred hours remain for achieving results before it comes to a close on Sunday, 18 December, Kiviniemi points out.
Agriculture is one of the critical issues under negotiation. In recent months, negotiations about the agricultural trade have dominated the WTO agenda. The EU has already made its own offer, and now we are expecting the others to make their moves, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Juha Korkeaoja emphasises. Korkeaoja acts as vice chairman of the Finnish delegation.
The WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong is held on 13-18 December. It is the sixth Ministerial Conference of the worldwide trade organization established in 1995 to continue the process established with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, GATT. Saudi-Arabia having just been accepted as the newest WTO member, there will be delegations from 149 different states participating in the conference. The WTO will continue in Hong Kong the Doha Round of negotiations, launched in 2001. The goal is to find an agreement on the schedule of future negotiations, as well as on trade in agriculture, goods and services. As already the name Doha Development Agenda suggests, development issues will be negotiated as particular matter of interest.
Additional information: Special Adviser to Minister Kiviniemi Satu Mäki, gsm +358 40 829 3298, Special Adviser to Minister Korkeaoja Jouni Lind, gsm +358 50 521 3305, and Counsellor Juha Markkanen, gsm +358 40 520 3925, who answers for the Finnish delegation’s information services and media arrangements