Statement of Minister Akira amari

Statement of Minister Akira AMARI

at the Informal Meeting of the Trade Negotiation Committee

July 21, 2008

Akira AMARI

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan

Mr. Chairman,
Since our predecessor trade ministers launched the Doha ‘Development’ Round, seven years have passed. This Ministerial is the last opportunity for us to conclude the Round this year, and the world attention is focused on us. In fact, at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit meeting which Japan hosted earlier this month, our leaders issued a statement which cited the conclusion of the Round as a matter of urgency at a time when the global economy is facing mountains of challenges and which welcomed the convening of this Ministerial starting today. This clearly demonstrates that Prime Minister Fukuda, as the Chair of the G8, is fully committed to the conclusion of this Round this year.
This Ministerial is significant in that for the very first time trade ministers and agricultural ministers are gathering together with Agriculture and NAMA Chairs’ texts in their hands, which the two Chairs issued with a view to exploring solutions. I would like to extend my appreciation to Director-General Pascal Lamy, Chairman Crawford Falconer, and Chairman Don Stephenson, who have vigorously worked day and night in their consultations in order to show the path towards convergence in this negotiation.
Today, we embark on intense negotiations based on the latest Chairs’ texts. It goes without saying that it is impossible to give 100% satisfaction to every Member since the diverse interests of Members are entangled in a complicated way. Therefore, the Ministerial can only be successful if we can find a way where all Members can share a good balance of happiness and unhappiness and all of us can bring home some happiness, net of pluses and minuses.
For Japan, the results from the Agriculture negotiation will cause pains domestically. Therefore, it will be difficult for Japan to sell the results of this Round to our domestic constituencies unless we can achieve gains in NAMA, Services and Rules that are big enough to offset the pains in Agriculture. In NAMA, we definitely need coefficients and range of flexibilities for developing countries that can deliver real improvements in market access, a substantively meaningful Anti Concentration Clause, and indications regarding participation in Sectoral initiatives in such sectors as Electronics/Electricals and Chemicals.
A one-week marathon of negotiations starts today. What is of utmost importance is that we, ministers, jointly show our political commitment towards the conclusion of the negotiation. This means our joint determination that we came here to decide and not just to discuss. With this determination shared by all the Ministers of both developed and developing countries, I look forward to working closely and passionately towards the successful Ministerial this week.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.