. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/417
27 October 2000
(00-4490)
General Council
Special Session on Implementation18 October 2000Original:  Spanish
COMMUNICATION FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The following statement made at the Special Session of the General Council on 18 October by
H.E. Mr. Santiago Tejada Escoboza, Under-Secretar y of State for Foreign Relations responsible for
trade negotiations for the Dominican Republic is being circulated at the request of that delegation
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As this is the first time I am addressing this General Council of the World Trade Organization
in my capacity as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Relations responsible for trade negotiations,
allow me to express my delegation's admiration for the effective way in which you are carrying out
the difficult task of chairing this General Council.
The Dominican Republic joins other delegations that have expressed their appreciation to
yourself, to the Director-General, the Deputy Director-General, all the Members of the WTO and the
Secretariat, who have worked so strenuously since J une to ensure that we received the report today.
Nevertheless, our delegation wishes it to be noted that your report is being submitted under your own
responsibility.  We fully agree with this and hope that it will be recorded in the minutes of this
meeting because the Dominican Republic does not feel that it is reflected in the major part of the
report.
It would appear that the report is the outcome of a process in which only some parties have
specifically communicated their positions in the form of concrete proposals.  Our delegation in any
case has not seen the specific proposals made by other parties.  How therefore can it be considered
that certain issues require "appropriate action" in subsidiary bodies?
Once again, we have a case of "negotiation by proxy", which will not help to enhance
confidence in the Organization.  It is further evidence of the absence of will to resolve the most urgent
problems which require immediate action in the view  of most developing countries.  This has
occurred despite the considerable efforts you have made, which receive the full support of this
delegation.  Unfortunately, this climate of immobility will be decisive for the outcome of futureMinisterial Conferences.
For the Dominican Republic, only the adoption of concrete decisions to resolve
implementation problems, through agreed interpretations or amendments to the Agreements, will
show that we have really begun the process of rebuilding confidence which we have tried to initiatesince the last Ministerial Conference.
We are happy to see that our colleagues from Honduras will be able to see their exclusion
from Annex VII to the Agreement on Subsidies remedied.WT/GC/W/417
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Nevertheless, the Dominican Republic formally objects to the delegation of implementation
issues concerning subsidies to subsidiary bodies, particularly the proposal on Annex VII, which has
the support of the ACP Group and over 20 delegations represented here.
The Dominican Republic also finds it very difficult to start considering the issues in
paragraph 22 before the problems that require urgent attention in paragraph 21 of the Draft Ministerial
Text of 19 October 1999 have been resolved satisfactorily.
We have full confidence that, under your proven leadership, we shall be able to reach a
situation in which consideration can be given to removing our objections.
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