Foreign Minister Støre meets WTO Director General Pascal Lamy

“The Doha Round is at a critical stage.  It is important for Norway, the developing countries and the global trading system that the negotiations are concluded as soon as possible,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Mr Støre and Mr Lamy met on 13 May in connection with the WTO Director General’s visit to Oslo. They discussed what was needed to put the negotiations back on a more constructive track.

“Like other small and medium-sized countries, Norway is concerned that world trade should be governed by a robust set of rules. The alternative to the rule of law in international trade is a situation where the law of the strongest prevails. Due to our open economy, our welfare is dependent on the existence of a strong global trading regime,” said Mr Støre.

Mr Støre and Mr Lamy will meet again at an informal discussion between ministers on 26 May in connection with the OECD Ministerial Meeting in Paris.

One of the primary aims of the current round of negotiations is to facilitate the integration of the developing countries into world trade. This will be an important step in the fight against poverty and is a prerequisite for social and economic development. Norway is therefore heavily engaged in the negotiations on a new WTO agreement and is actively supporting the Director General’s efforts to move the negotiations forward.

Press contact: Communications Adviser Mariam Naqvi, +47 980 08 233