RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/MIN(98)/SR/1
10 June 1998
(98-2349)
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Second Session
Geneva, 18 and 20 May 1998
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING
Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,
on Monday, 18 May 1998, at 11 a.m.
Chairman:  Mr. Pascal Couchepin (Switzerland)
Subjects: 1. Opening address by the Chairman
2. Adoption of the agenda
3. Order of business
4. Introduction of the report of the General Council by its Chairman5. Address by the Director-General
Opening address by the Chairman
1. The CHAIRMAN called the meeting to order, and declared the Second Session of the
Ministerial Conference open.  He then delivered an opening address (WT/MIN(98)/5).Adoption of the
agenda
2. The Ministerial Conference then adopted the agenda proposed in WT/MIN(98)/W/1:
"1. Overview of Activities of the WTO;
 2. Action by Ministers;
 3. Date and venue of the Third Session;
 4. Election of Officers.
3. Order of business
The CHAIRMAN drew attention to the Proposed Order of Business in WT/MIN(98)/1/Rev.2,
and proposed that the Ministerial Conference agree to the organization of work for the Session as set
out therein.
The Ministerial Conference so agreed.
./.WT/MIN(98)/SR/1
Page 2
4. Introduction of the report of the General Council by its Chairman
Mr. WEEKES (Canada), Chairman of the General Council, made a statement
(WT/MIN(98)/6) introducing the report of the General Council to the Second Session contained in
WT/MIN(98)/3 and Add.1.
5. Address by the Director-General
The DIRECTOR-GENERAL delivered an address (WT/MIN(98)/7).
The CHAIRMAN then announced that, pursuant to the programme of work agreed earlier by
the Ministerial Conference, a first working session among Ministers would be held that afternoon to
discuss implementation of the WTO Agreement and Ministerial Decisions, and another in the
morning of 20 May to discuss future activities.  He invited Ministers to be brief and to the point in
their interventions at the working sessions and to aim not to speak for more than three minutes at a
time.  If the discussion on implementation was not able to be concluded that afternoon, the workingsession on implementation would be continued in the morning of 20 May, while ensuring that
sufficient time remained for the discussion to be held on future activities.
1
The Ministerial Conference took note of this information.
The meeting adjourned at 11.45 a.m.
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1 The working session on implementation was subsequently continued in the morning of 20 May, and
the working session on future activities was held immediately following the conclusion of the discussion on
implementation.  The records of the discussions at the two working sessions will be circulated as
WT/MIN(98)/WS/M/1 and 2 respectively.