Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I hope they will reaffirm the commitment made at the development ministers council. This would be a positive signal as we push into the remainder of the year which will involve the millennium development summit. Deputy Michael D. Higgins referred earlier to the important issue of trade matters. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, the Minister of State at that Department, Deputy Michael Ahern, and I will travel to Hong Kong in December for the conclusion of the Doha round negotiations. Our intention is to make it the development round of the talks. We want to ensure a good result from a development point of view so the trade deal is of significant assistance. Developing countries are likely to gain seven times more from a trade concession than from an aid concession from developed countries. That should also be the focus of our efforts in the months ahead.

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