RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/NGMTS/W/10
22January 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-0237)
Original: Spanish Negotiating Group onMaritime Transport Services
STATEMENT BYTHE REPUBLIC OFPANAMA
Thefollowing statement iscirculated attherequest oftheRepublic ofPanama tomembers
oftheNegotiating Group onMaritime Transport Services.
______________
TheRepublic ofPanama, asanobserver intheNegotiating Group onMaritime Transport
Services, presents thefollowing statement:
TheGovernment ofPanama wishes toconvey thespecial interest ithasinthenegotiations of
thisGroup owing tothemaritime sector 'simportance foritseconomic andtradeactivities. Theentire
economic structure ofPanama hasbeendeveloped onandfirmly rooted initsgeographical location
andtheservices thatderive from it.Maritime transport andauxiliary services make upalarge part
ofthatstructure.
Inviewofthesector 'simportance foritseconomy, prudence demands adequate preparation
ofthetechnical aspects ofthemodel schedule aswellasthescope ofPanama 'scommitments inthis
area.
Furthermore, thestructure oftheadministration ofthePanamanian Maritime Sector requires
internal exchanges ofinformation andextensive consultations before aschedule ofcommitments in
maritime transport andauxiliary services issubmitted.
Fortheforegoing reasons, assoonasitisamember oftheWTO, andinanycasenotlater
thanonemonth before theNegotiating Group concludes itsdeliberations, Panama willpresent itsoffer
onmaritime transport services, which willbestructured andprepared inkeeping withthedevelopments
inthenegotiations.
Panama issubmitting thepresent statement inorder todemonstrate itsreadiness tocontribute
tothesuccessful outcome oftheGroup 'snegotiations. Success willdepend ondevelopment ofa
multilateral system enabling rules andpractices inmaritime transport tobebased ontheprinciples
ofcompetition, liberalization andMFN treatment. Inthisconnection, Panama shares theviewthat
allmembers oftheNegotiating Group should contribute, andconfirms thatitwillmake itsown
contribution assoonasfeasible.