Press/297
11 June 2002
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ membership and trade liberalization fosters prosperity, stability and peace, says Director-General at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Ministerial Trade Conference for Central and South East Europe
The
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Secretariat in conjunction with the Government of Croatia has, for
the first time organized a °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Ministerial Trade Conference for
Central and South East Europe in Zagreb, Croatia.
The Conference was opened today by °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ Director-General Mr. Mike Moore
and will run until 12 June 2002.
SEE
ALSO:
press
releases
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ news
archives
Mike
Moore's speeches
> Full text of Mr. Moore's statement
“°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ membership and trade liberalization can help foster prosperity, stability and peace. Trade liberalization creates jobs and growth, and people who profit from trading with each other develop and build stability. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ membership, or the prospect of it, can help lock in liberal economic reforms and a commitment to the rule of law. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ's dispute settlement system provides a vital safety valve for countries to settle their trade disputes without recourse to force. Thus, trade liberalization, commitment to the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes through a multilateral forum such as the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø×ÊÁÏ are all ingredients for building a climate of stability. I am glad that transition economies are playing a positive and constructive role in the multilateral trading system,” Mr. Moore said.
Mr. Moore urged all key stakeholders, multilateral agencies, regional banks and bodies, as well as bilateral donors, to play their part in assisting countries of the region to further integrate into the trading system and prepare for Doha Development Agenda negotiations.
The Conference provides Ministers from the region with a unique opportunity to consider critical issues relating to their countries' participation in the multilateral trading system. Over the next two days, participants will be discussing some of the most critical issues facing the multilateral trading system: technical cooperation; accession; issues emerging from Doha; regionalism; and challenges and opportunities for trade and investment.
Ministers and high-level officials from 18 countries, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Turkey are scheduled to participate. Also invited are representatives from the following multilateral agencies, regional banks and bodies, non-governmental organizations and bilateral donors: the United States and the Commission of the European Union, the diplomatic corps, representatives from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Trade Centre, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Chamber of Commerce, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Stability Pact, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Joint Vienna Institute, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Soros Foundation and World Economic Forum.