. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(01)/ST/65
11 November 2001
(01-5657)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Fourth Session
Doha, 9 - 13 November 2001Original:  English
TURKEY
Statement by H.E. Prof. Dr. Tunca Toskay
Minister of State
At the outset, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Qatar for
their very kind hospitality and the perfect organization of this Conference.  I would also like to
express our appreciation to the WTO Secretariat.
Since our last meeting in Seattle, where we left with some questions with regard to
implementation and institutional issues, Member countries have spent noteworthy efforts to stress the
importance of global collaboration and the role of multilateral trade for economic development.
Some concrete steps have been taken to find a common understanding to remove the
obstacles to trade, and to clarify some of the existing trade rules at the WTO.
In our view, the multilateral system should respond to new global challenges and integrate all
countries at different levels of development into a trading system where rights and obligations of
every country are respected.
Now, we have another chance to go further in strengthening the trade rules and ensuring
better market access for everyone and especially for developing countries.
A comprehensive new round of negotiations with a balanced agenda will be the platform to
exchange cross-sectoral trade-offs responding to the different interests and aspirations of the WTOMembers.
We believe special and differential treatment for the developing countries without creating
any sub-category must be a key component of the future negotiations.
Turkey, calling for a comprehensive agenda, considers that investment and competition issues
which have been examined by the relevant working groups are at a level of maturity to be negotiated
in a framework mandated by this Conference.
It is essential that countries can participate effectively in negotiations and rule-making
process in the WTO and thus utilize the outcomes of the trade liberalization.  Capacity-building and
technical assistance as an integral part of the negotiations will play an important role in this respect.
We are satisfied with the pace attained in the agricultural negotiations.  The experience of
developing countries gained in the implementation period of the Agreement on Agriculture
unfortunately has fallen short of their needs and interests.WT/MIN(01)/ST/65
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Turkey if of the view that elimination of or substantial reductions in all trade distortive
domestic supports and export subsidies by developed countries, could give a real impetus for further
market-access commitments.
With regard to services, Turkey welcomes a Ministerial Declaration which underlines the
economic growth and development aspects of the mandated negotiations, commenced in
January 2000, on trade in services and reiterates the objectives of the GATS stated in its Preamble,
Article IV and Article XIX.
Turkey is pleased with the progress that has been made in the negotiations so far and hopes
satisfactory as well as balanced results for all Member countries.
Since a new round is expected to address the concerns of developing countries, Turkey is also
looking for the restrictions on services which are of export interest to developing countries to be
removed, as well as impediments on the implementation of the commitments by developed countries
in Mode 4 to be lifted.
Trade facilitation has also become another issue of interest for us and Turkey supports to set a
framework in this field.
Being one of the most debated issues of a possible new round, environment is still subject to
concerns of most of the Members, especially the developing countries.  Those concerns have beenmainly focused on restrictive trade policy tools which could be implemented via environmental
protection arguments.
We believe, proceeding the discussions on the clarification of the relationship between trade
and the environment in the WTO Committee, appears to be a necessity for establishing a sound basisfor the further steps to be taken in this field.
Turkey became one of the most liberal economies of the world after the customs union with
the European Community in 1996 when it went far beyond its Uruguay commitments in terms of
market access.  By that, Turkey opened its market to the third countries unilaterally in non-
agricultural products.  At this stage, I would like to state that, we are not very enthusiastic for further
tariff reductions in those goods.
Let me also touch upon TRIPS recognizing that protection of intellectual property is one of
the most important factors in providing favourable and competitive trading conditions among
countries.  Turkey is of the view that, the disc riminatory treatment between geographical indications
for wines and spirits and those for other products creates an unfair trading environment and extendingthe protection of geographical indications for other products will be to the benefit of all Members.
Before concluding, I would like to welcome China, Chinese Taipei and the others recently
acceded to the WTO family.  With their presence, the multilateral trading system becomes stronger
than before in promoting economic development and welfare.
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