WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(03)/ST/42
11 September 2003
(03-4805)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fifth Session
Cancún, 10 - 14 September 2003Original:  English
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Statement by H.E. Mr László Pomothy
State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy
First of all, allow me on behalf of the Slovak Republic to thank the Government and the
people of Mexico for their hospitality and the excellent arrangements for the Fifth WTO Ministerial
Conference.  Let me also express our hope that the beautiful surroundings of Cancún will be great
incentive to reach balanced results satisfactory for all.
The Slovak Republic supported from the very beginning the comprehensive scope of the
multilateral negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda.  We are convinced that this is the best
way to ensure that a new round will bring benefits  to all WTO Members.  We also believe, that only
the WTO can respond to the challenges of the fast moving political, economic and trade environmentin order to stimulate further sustainable development.
We are continuing to apply a liberal trade policy targeted at integration into international
economic structures, with the emphasis on our membership in the European Communities.  We
believe that this membership will positively influence our further economic development as well as
our multilateral trade relations.
Foreign trade remains a very important element for our future economic development.  From
our point of view the strengthening of multilate ral trading rules and promoting of further trade
liberalization can contribute substantially to the economic growth not only of Slovakia, but of all
WTO Members.
Within this context we have entered into negotiations with an active and reasonably flexible
approach, ready to work together with all delegations.  We are encouraged with the positive
development in areas of services.  My delegation also welcomes adoption of the Decision on the
Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the Public Health and we believe that this
important sign of good will should be followed.  At the same time we regret that in other areas of ourinterest, such as agriculture, NAMA and Singapore Issues the level of ambitions did not reach our
expectations.  We should keep in mind that the success of the single undertaking is based on the
successful outcome of negotiations in every single area mandated by the Doha Declaration.
Therefore we believe that at this Ministerial Conference we should show collective political
wisdom and pragmatism in order to engage in a more constructive dialogue with the willingness to
listen to the others.
At the end my delegation would like to express our readiness to stand firmly by the objectives
of the mandate laid down in the Doha Declaration and allow me to reiterate our readiness to take an
active and responsible approach, where we are ready to show additional flexibility in the context of
achieving the overall balance in the negotiations.
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