MINISTER TO ATTEND WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- International Trade and Industry Minister
Mustapa Mohamed will attend the Seventh World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Ministerial Conference next week, which will discuss progress of the Doha Round.

To be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from Nov 30 to Dec 2, the conference will
also review the WTO's activities, with the aim of strengthening the
organisation's functions and its contribution to world recovery, growth and
development.

The theme is "The WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current
Global Economic Environment".

Malaysia has participated actively in all the WTO activities and
negotiations in order to safeguard the country's interest while at the same time
ensuring that the global trading environment remains open, transparent and
predictable, said the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

"The conclusion of the Doha Round is important to Malaysia as it would
provide greater certainty and transparency through improved rules and
disciplines," it said in a statement today.

"There would also be immediate benefits, through greater market access
opportunities for goods and services as a result of reduction of tariffs and
other barriers."

Taking advantage of the presence of ministers at this conference, various
informal meetings will be held to discuss ways to make progress in the Doha
Round of negotiations, MITI said.

The Cairns Group, representing key agriculture exporting countries,
including Malaysia, will hold an informal ministerial meeting on Nov 30.

"This meeting is expected to deliberate on the way forward in concluding
negotiations next year as well as translating the political declarations into
tangible outcomes," the ministry said.

Malaysia will be signing a joint declaration on economic cooperation with
Hong Kong on Dec 1, which will see the two countries actively promoting
bilateral trade and economic cooperation, MITI said.

Besides that, Mustapa will also meet with member countries from the
Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to exchange views and deliberate on
building capacity and technical assistance programmes for OIC members.

The last WTO ministerial conference was held in Hong Kong in 2005.
-- BERNAMA