a new trend towards bilateralism and undesirable quantitative restrictions on trade, as non-tariff barriers affect a larger proportion of world trade than before. It is essential that the existing rules of multilateral trade be fully respected and that access to markets, particularly in respect of exports from developing countries, be improved as a matter of urgency. That is especially important for island developing countries such as my own, which, with small internal markets, find it difficult to benefit from economies of scale without exporting a significant portion of their goods and services. Collective efforts aimed at trade liberalization should therefore continue, and the fundamental principle of equal access to markets must be fully respected. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade represents the best mechanism for achieving the broadest possible global trade liberalization, and the successful outcome of the Uruguay Round would considerably enhance worldwide economic prosperity.. Greater integration among major trading entities should not be allowed to weaken the multilateral trading regime; rather, they should be harmonized and so structured as to• increase international trade and provide new market opportunities for developing countries. Trinidad and Tobago has previously articulated the position that, in the present round of multilateral negotiations, the outstanding issues should have been concluded before new ones were addressed. The general trend has not been in that JB/13 A/S-18/PV. 3 59-60 (Mr. Dookeran, Trinidad and Tobago) direction. Negotiations in the Uruguay Round have so far paid less attention to market-access issues that are of crucial importance to developing countries, and more to the elaboration of new rules in areas such as services and intellectual property. The considerable number of proposals, particularly in the area of safeguards that would bring additional discriminatory mechanisms into the multilateral trading system, would also be detrimental to developing countries. 
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the importance of international trade and the need for countries to work together to liberalize trade and improve market access, particularly for developing countries. It highlights the challenges faced by small island developing countries and emphasizes the need for collective efforts to achieve global trade liberalization. The text also touches on the importance of respecting existing rules and avoiding new discriminatory mechanisms.

**Category**
International trade