mandate personally assigned to him. We welcome the choice of Mr. Craxi, which is also a tribute to our country's contribution to the solution of this problem, as a necessary step towards providing an acceptable framework for co-operation between the two hemispheres. Among other measures, Italy is qetting ready to ~write off the debts contracted by the poorest countries. The debt question is closely linked to the question of international trade. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) has the task of codifying the rules that will govern our relations in the years to come. Negotiations will have to be completed in 1990 to ensure that the philosophy of multilateralism prevails over the PDlicy of protectionism, not only in the case of individual countries but also of individual areas. Here too the only alternative is a general progressive integration. GATT will require institutional strengthening, through changes in the machinery for the settlement of disputes and the acquisition of a political dimension. The ultimate goal is institutional co-operation between GATT, the IMF and the World Bank with a view to promoting greater concordance of macroeconomic policies with trade and development palicies. We must avoid rigid application of the technical and leqal rules of GATT and ensure that 1they are subjected to political evaluations in the framework of a proper international organization. We J"\M/ 8 A;S-18/PV. 3 34 (Mr. ll9 Michelis, Italy) also recommend that due account be taken of the needs of the emerging countries, applying concessions on tropical products and a gradual and flexibile tariff policy. The problem of resources is central to development. But one of the lessons learned from the 1970s is that for purposes of development the rational use of resources is no less important then their volume. Ideally, resources should be utilized in such a way as to create the necessary conditions to start up the 
**Analysis**
This text appears to be focused on international economic issues, specifically related to international trade, development, and cooperation. The author discusses the importance of multilateralism, the role of institutions such as GATT, IMF, and World Bank, and the need to consider the needs of emerging countries. The text also touches on the topic of debt relief and the rational use of resources for development.

**Category**
International trade, Economic development