The Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO - co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament (EP) - gathered for a two-day meeting at The House of Parliaments, the IPU Headquarters. After their meeting with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, Mr. Pascal Lamy, the parliamentarians from developed and developing countries issued a statement in which they call on all WTO Members to come to Geneva next week open-minded and politically determined.

"We are convinced that concrete results in the areas of agriculture and non-agricultural market access are both politically indispensable and possible. The Doha Round is about development. It is our common responsibility. There is no "Plan B", they said.

As elected representatives of the people, the parliamentarians have the duty to follow and oversee government action in the field of international trade, seeking to promote the fairness of trade liberalization in the interests of our citizens. "We observe that government negotiators and WTO officials alike show signs of growing openness to the idea of using the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO as a de facto parliamentary dimension of this important intergovernmental body. With a constructive engagement of all parties, achievement of this objective also de jure should be within reach", they added.

The WTO Director-General, Mr. Pascal Lamy, shared with legislators information on the current state of WTO negotiations. "For the Doha Round, the moment of truth is now and we cannot hide our concern. We are convinced that declarations by Heads of State and government will not suffice unless they are translated into practical agreements. Failure to act on the expressions of intent will set back the prospects for enhancing growth and reducing poverty, and increase the space for tensions in international relations. The danger is real", stressed the legislators.

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Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organisation, currently brings together 146 affiliated parliaments and seven regional assemblies as associate members. The world organisation of parliaments has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer at the United Nations.
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Contact for additional information or interviews:

Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer 5, ch. du Pommier, CH - 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex / Geneva Phone: +41 22 919 41 16 Fax: +41 22 919 41 60 E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org