MTN END DEPENDS ON DUNKEL CONSULTATIONS, MANDATED EVALUATION.

Dec 11, 1990

MTN END DEPENDS ON DUNKEL CONSULTATIONS, MANDATED EVALUATION.

BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 7 (TWN) – The Brussels Ministerial meeting of the Uruguay Round Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) has agreed to procedures suggested by its Chairman, Dr. Hector Gross Espiell of Uruguay for intensive consultations by Arthur Dunkel to promote a package of agreements.

The procedures also involve Gross Espiell being fully in the picture and for effective evaluation of the results from the perspective of the Third World countries before the Round is concluded

Following are extracts from the statement of Gross Espiell:

1. Our Brussels meeting has made a substantial contribution to advancing the negotiating process. I have nevertheless reached the conclusion that participants need more time to reconsider and reconcile their positions in some key areas of the negotiations. We are therefore, not in a position to conclude the Uruguay Round during this Brussels Ministerial Meeting. More time is also needed to ensure that the positions of all participants in the negotiations are fully taken into account, in accordance with the multilateral character of the negotiations. We shall deploy our best efforts in undertaking this task.

In doing so, we are mindful of the need to conduct an effective evaluation of the extent to which the objectives relating to differential and more favourable treatment for developing countries are being attained.

2. I therefore propose that Mr. Dunkel, in his capacity as chairman of the TNC at official level be requested to pursue intensive consultations in the period from how until the beginning of next year with the specific objective of achieving agreements in all the areas of the negotiating programme in which differences remain outstanding.

For my part, I remain at the disposal of participants in the consultations and shall be in constant, daily contact with Mr. Dunkel.

3. During the period in which Mr. Dunkel is concluding consultations, the TNC may be convened at any time at short notice. We request Mr. Dunkel to reconvene the TNC at the appropriate level to conclude the negotiations at the date he considers appropriate in the light of his consultations.

4. Mr. Dunkel and I will remain in close contact throughout this process.

5. The consultations Mr. Dunkel is to conduct will be based on the draft Final Act embodying the results of the Uruguay Round Multilateral Trade Negotiations which was submitted to the Ministerial Meeting of the TNC in Brussels, including the cover page which refers to the Surveillance Body and the communications which various participants have sent to Brussels. Naturally, Mr. Dunkel will also take duly into account the considerable amount of work carried out during our Brussels meeting, although it does not commit any delegation....

6. We wish Mr. Dunkel luck and reaffirm our determination to ensure that, with the extension of the Uruguay Round for a brief period following the Brussels conference, results will be achieved that will be significant for all participants.