WTO news: what’s been happening in the WTO

WTO NEWS: 1995 PRESS RELEASES

PRESS/27
23 October 1995

Statement by Renato Ruggiero on the “QUAD” meeting

Commenting this morning on the results of the "quadrilateral" trade meeting held over the weekend in Ripley, England, Mr Renato Ruggiero, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, said:
“I very much welcome the reconfirmed commitment by the Ministers of the world's four largest trading entities to the World Trade Organization...”

“I very much welcome the reconfirmed commitment by the Ministers of the world's four largest trading entities to the World Trade Organization. I especially appreciate the forward-looking nature of the concluding statement. Not only did it provide support for current negotiations, particularly that on telecommunications, but looked ahead to an ambitious first WTO Ministerial Meeting next year in Singapore. The statement reflected a shared view that new issues have now to be considered for inclusion in the continuing development and strengthening of the multilateral trading system”.

“As the Ministers point out, there is a vital and urgent need to broaden support for the multilateral system and trade liberalization. At the same time, I welcome the concept of a new WTO body to help ensure that regional trade initiatives contribute to, rather than detract from, efforts at the multilateral level”.

Note: The “Quadrilateral” or “Quad” meetings bring together trade ministers from the United States, Japan, Canada and the Commission of the European Union.