Statement of Ambassador Susan C. Schwab on conclusion of Green Room meeting

Geneva,
July 25, 2008

We have a tentative agreement on a path forward.  There are a number of significant issues to be resolved, and each one of us have to see how the final modalities package concludes before we can pass judgment on whether to support a final modalities package but I think the biggest concern we have is that a handful of large emerging markets threaten this round for the rest of us and for the other developing countries who are so critically dependant on a successful development outcome of this development round.

Tomorrow we take a next, vital step in the direction of what we hope will continue to be a successful modalities process, and that is in the services signaling conference.  That is another basis on which the United States will assess the success of a modalities package.  We look forward to that development tomorrow. 

And in the meantime, the United States will continue to play a leadership role that we have played this week.  We will work with our trading partners and work with the WTO Secretariat to be a part of the solution.  I look forward to seeing you over the weekend and into next week.

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