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Following is a speech by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr John Tsang, who is also the Chairman of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, at the Closing Plenary yesterday (December 18):
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Director-General, Chair of the General Council, Honourable Delegates and Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I think it is appropriate for me to open this meeting by thanking all of you for the patience and the cooperative spirit you have shown in the last few days.
I would like to say, on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, that it has been an honour and a pleasure to have hosted the Sixth Session of the Ministerial Conference. Allow me also to offer once again my sincere thanks to the Director-General, all of the Ministers who have assisted me so ably as Facilitators and as Vice-Chairpersons, the Chair of the General Council, the Deputy Directors-General, the WTO Secretariat, and each of the Ministers and delegations representing their Governments at this Ministerial Conference for their hard work and patience over these past six days.
I would also like to thank members of my host team for working diligently over the past 18 months in planning and organizing this conference. I am truly grateful for the excellent work you have done.
The past six days have seen a tremendous amount of committed work by all delegations. Throughout this process, I have done my utmost to ensure the fullest transparency and inclusiveness, and I am grateful for the spirit of cooperation and goodwill shown by all participants. “
Last Tuesday, at the inaugural session, I said that we had to make the best use of the one hundred hours available to us and you took me at my word. I doubt that any of us has slept for more than ten hours since then! I don’t know how you feel, but for me it’s a little strange: this has been a grueling week, but for some reason I feel great. I hope that you do too. It seems to me that we must have done some little bit of good.
Ladies and gentlemen, the WTO has three official languages. However, I hope that members will indulge me, if I use this opportunity to say a few words in Cantonese, for the benefit of your hosts, the people of Hong Kong.
首先，我要感謝香港市民在世貿會議期間，對所有因保安和交通安排所造成的不便，展現高度的容忍和體諒，並且在背後給予我們很大的支持。
其次，我要感謝所有參與大會籌備工作的人員，尤其是負責維持秩序的警務人員，他們日以繼夜辛勞的付出，使這次會議的各項安排達致盡善盡美。我聽到不少與會代表對會議安排的讚賞，相信所有同事都會為這次會議的成功感到自豪。
香港是一個高度寬容和守法的城市，可惜今次有部份抗議人士，作出一些過激的暴力行為，破壞社會秩序，我們對這些暴力行為作出嚴正的譴責。香港警隊所展現的克制和專業的精神，絕對值得我們高度讚揚。
香港舉辦這次部長級會議投入相當的人力物力，這次會議能夠達致美滿的成果，我們所付出的代價，並沒有白費。
這次會議其中一項最大的收穫是為為發展中國家，尤其是最不發達國家提供了一套「發展方案」，包括發達國家承諾於2013年全面取消農產品不同形式的出口補貼；發達國家和一些有能力的發展中國家承諾在2008年開始給予最不發達國家「免關稅及免配額」待遇；以及發達國家同意明年取消對棉花的出口補貼，以及日後更大幅度地削減國內支持，這些都為發展議題注入實質內容。
這次會議亦為明年底前完成「多哈發展回合」貿易談判訂立明確的路線圖，加添新動力。
They say that the definition of a successful negotiation is one where neither side is completely happy. By that measure, and judging by the litany of grumbles in the Heads of Delegation just now, this has been a very successful meeting! Certainly, we have come much further than seemed possible even a fortnight ago;
For me, what has been most satisfying, has been the way members have come together in addressing a number of complex development issues. The big gains for developing countries will come ultimately from trade liberalization and the new market opportunities, which will flow from it. Nevertheless the package of development issues that we have helped deliver this week represent a significant advance.
Indeed, significant progress has been made across a broad front and a clear roadmap has been drawn up for negotiations leading to the conclusion of the Round by the end of next year.
In the meantime, I hope that some of you at least will reward yourselves with a short holiday in Hong Kong. I know that you have all earned it.
Ends/Monday, December 19, 2005
Issued at HKT 01:29
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