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Following is a transcript of remarks made by the Chairman of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, Mr John Tsang, speaking to the media after attending the Hong Kong Session of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO today (December 12):
Reporter: What steps are you taking to move the DDA negotiations forward?
John Tsang: We are taking a lot of steps. I have said just now that I have started working a day ago. I have met extensively with the Director-General of the WTO and we have had a number of meetings to decide on the way forward for the coming few days. I have had meetings with the Vice-Chair to set out their role and their responsibilities. I have also had meetings with three facilitators to start off with the first phase of the informal discussion that would involve agriculture, non-agriculture and development. So they have started the informal process already and I would be proceeding to have the opening of the plenary tomorrow at 3pm. From there on, we would be having our daily meeting for the head of delegations, and other informal process would also proceed. When we have more information, we would let everybody know.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, December 12, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:33
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