President Opens WTO Ministerial Conference

Jakarta, Dec 3 (Reuters) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officially opened the ninth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Bali on Tuesday. The four-day meeting, from December 3 to 8, is being attended by 159 WTO member countries. The meeting aims to forge a multilateral trade deal after 12 years of delays under the Doha round. In his opening address, President Yudhoyono called on the delegates to cooperate and draft an agreement that promotes a fair and inclusive multilateral trading system. "I really hope that significant progress is made in the negotiations in Bali," the president noted. The president added that now is the right time to encourage multilateral trade and prevent the global economy from falling into recession. He also said that he believes multilateral trade could boost people`s welfare and alleviate poverty in various parts of the world. Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, who is the chairman of the WTO Ministerial Conference, noted that the success of the conference would send a strong message to the world about the multilateral trading system and the WTO.