. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/NG/W/9
26 April 2000
(00-1678)
Committee on Agriculture
Special SessionOriginal:  Spanish
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
23–24 MARCH 2000
Statement by Colombia
Let me begin by dealing with your first point by making a general statement concerning the
negotiations.
Colombia welcomes the start of the agriculture negotiations provided for in Article 20 of the
WTO Agreement on Agriculture.
I would like to stress the importance for Colombia of the agriculture negotiations beginning
today.  Colombia has a significant agricultural production capacity which could provide a source of
employment and revenue for a large proportion of its population, contributing in turn to economic
development, progress and social stability.  However, this potential is limited by the conditions in
which agricultural trade currently takes place at the global level.
This is why we hope that the negotiations beginning today will finally enable us to carry out a
fundamental reform of the rules and disciplines gove rning agriculture in the WTO, with the abolition
of export subsidies and all other forms of subsidies and domestic support which have a distorting
effect on trade and agricultural production.  Only then will we be able to establish a fair, market-
oriented system of agricultural trade.
Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture stipulates that these negotiations must take into
account special and differential treatment to developing countries as well as the objectives mentioned
in the preamble to the Agreement.
In this regard, I would like to emphasize that for Colombia it is essential that these
negotiations take account of the needs and particular conditions of the developing countries in relation
to market access;  in other words, the developed countries should substantially improve access for
agricultural products of particular interest to developing countries, and do their utmost to open up
trade in tropical products as well as products of particular importance for the diversification of
production away from the growing of illicit narcotic crops, a problem faced by Colombia.
In order to ensure fair and equitable conditions for the developing countries, these countries
must make differentiated and flexible commitments and concessions, suited to their needs and
particular conditions.
The special and differential treatment for developing countries resulting from these
negotiations must be reflected not only in these countries' schedules of commitments and concessions,
but also in all the rules and disciplines negotiated in relation to access, export subsidies and domestic
support.G/AG/NG/W/9
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Finally, in relation to the other two points that you raised, I confirm that we support the work
plan proposed by Australia.
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