Argentina calls for bolstering multilateral trade at WTO meeting

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Argentina on Monday called for strengthening the multilateral system of trade during the 11th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference being held in Buenos Aires.

"We Argentinians are adopting the goals of the multilateral trade system as our own in order to raise living standards, achieve full employment and promote sustainable development," Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Faurie told participants at the opening session.

Faurie said Argentina "is at the same time aware that the transformation of the international system, the technological revolution and inequality present us with enormous challenge."

He said his country hopes that the conference "sends a message about the importance of (having) an open and fair international system of trade based on rules, which contributes to, among other things, consolidating the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda."

Specifically, the country wants to see progress in pending negotiations from the 2001 Doha Development Round, in the areas of "agriculture, fishing, service and development," he added. Enditem